Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Thursday 18^th July 2019

The ‘Great March of Return’ and ‘Breaking the Siege’ protests continued on Friday. At least 34 Palestinians were injured by live bullets and many others by rubber-coated rounds when Israeli forces attacked thousands of protesters taking part in the weekly Great March of Return at Gaza-Israel border. Tensions were particularly high due to the killing, on Thursday by Israeli forces, of Mahmoud al-Adham who was trying to prevent youths approaching the fence.

• Lord, we continue to pray for the safety of the protestors who courageously demand to have the right of refugees to go home implemented. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer  

This week the Kumi Now initiative focuses on the Israeli organization of Zochrot and the right for Palestinian refugees to return to their homes. You are invited to read the information about Zochrot and exposé on the Jewish National Fund. The Kumi Action invites you to watch the documentary “A Village Under the Forest” and spread the information of how a state buries the truth under trees.

• Lord, give strength and courage to those engaging with the Kumi Now initiative that they may engage fully this week and the Kumi action. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers

On Saturday, Israeli navy boats attacked Palestinian fishermen near Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip, they detained two fishermen and seized their boat after firing live bullets at the boat. The boats are owned by Mohammad and his brother Ahmad Bardawil. Gaza fishermen report daily harassment by the Israeli navy, which prevents them from doing their work and earning a decent living.

• Lord, we continue to pray for the safety of all the people of Palestine who try to make a living under the reality of a brutal military occupation. Lord in your mercy… hear our prayers

Israel is refusing to issue work permits for international academics working at Palestinian universities in the occupied West Bank and is escalating a harsh visa policy that is forcing them to abandon their students and leave the country. Birzeit University, Al-Haq, and Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, are demanding an immediate halt to this policy targeting Palestinian academic freedom and isolating Palestinian institutions of higher learning.

• Lord, you are the teacher of all the people and generations. We are reminded of the attempts of the powerful who tried to challenge your ministry of spreading the message of equality, justice and liberation and are determined not to give in to intimidations. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Six United Nations Special Rapporteurs issued a joint letter to Israel, raising serious concerns about the Israeli government’s plans to forcibly displace 36,000 Bedouin citizens of Israel living in the Naqab/Negev desert.

• Lord, we continue to pray not to lose hope that the powerful will let go of hate and racism, and the poor will remain steadfast and resilient. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Adalah is calling on the municipality in the Israeli city of Afula to cancel its ban on non-city residents entering city parks. “We know that this policy is intended to prevent the entry of residents from Arab communities near the city,” Adalah, whose legal team is arguing the case, said in a statement. Two different TV stations performed undercover work and documented Jews – non-residents of Afula – entering the park unbridled, even after telling the gatekeepers that they were not residents.

• Lord, help all to see the ugliness of racism and discrimination. We give thanks to all people of good will who are brave and patient to challenge the systems of oppression to bring about your will of inclusivity and justice.   Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

In Jerusalem, a group of settlers attacked the closing ceremony for the Terra Sancta Summer camp. The summer camp hosted over 360 children aged 3-14 from different Church communities in Jerusalem. Israeli settlers threw eggs at the audience and injuring a number of the children and guests. 

• Lord, we pray that the people who have terrorized the innocent children be held accountable. We pray for an end to the Israeli military occupation that allows extremism and racism to flourish. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Djibouti and Somalia. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Thursday 11^th July 2019

The ‘Great March of Return’ and ‘Breaking the Siege’ protests continued on Friday. Reports state that 95 people were injured by Israeli forces, including 33 children, 1 journalist, and 4 women, one of whom was a volunteer medic. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) has documented that Israeli soldiers have killed 207 Palestinians, including 44 children, 2 women and 9 Palestinians with special needs, in addition to 4 medics and 2 journalists, since March 30th, 2018. According to Protocol 1 of the Geneva Convention, it is illegal to target civilians, which Israel has been doing since the outset of the demonstrations.

• Lord, we continue to pray for the people of Gaza as they raise their voices in protest. May your will be done so that all the people of this land may come to enjoy the fruits of a just peace. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

The Israeli election campaigns have begun over the last few days in preparation for the September rerun election. Far-right Israeli party Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) launched its campaign by calling for Palestinians to be expelled ‘to their countries of origin’. Party head Michael Ben Ari told the audience that, “we want to resettle our enemies in their countries… we’ll give them a bottle of mineral water and even a sandwich. We’ll find them countries of origin they can go to.”

• We pray for respect between peoples and religions. In the week when the Otzma Yehudit party said the Palestinians should be expelled from this land of the Holy One, we pray that all right-thinking people will condemn such words and turn our energies to seeking justice for all, which can also lead us on the path to peace and reconciliation. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Israeli authorities are requiring all high school students – Jewish and Arab – to pass an online government propaganda course that promotes racist ideology before they are allowed to participate in overseas class trips, according to Adalah – The Legal Centre for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, which is now taking legal action to fight this racist practice. Questions include “How do Palestinian organisations use digital social networks?” from the four optional answers, the one seen as correct is “encouraging violence.” Another question asks students to identify the origins of modern anti-Semitism. The exam’s correct answer is “Muslim organizations” and “the BDS movement.”

• Lord, we pray for all high school students as they embark on overseas trips with their class or with summer schools. We pray that a time will come soon when their lives are free from the racist ideology promoted by the current Israeli government and for groups such as Adalah, who are working to bring this future to reality. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

This week the Kumi Now initiative focuses on Sabeel-Kairos UK and Morally-Responsible Investing. You are invited to read the information about Sabeel-Kairos UK, the topic of Morally-Responsible investing, and the case study. The Kumi Action invites you to write to your church and ask them if they have an ethical investment screen in place and whether they invest in organisations which support the occupation or oppression of Palestine.

• Lord, give strength and courage to those engaging with the Kumi Now initiative that they may engage fully with this week and the Kumi action. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Attacks by illegal settlers in Hebron continue daily. On Saturday, 6^th July illegal settlers assaulted 10-year-old Raed Tamimi while Israeli occupation soldiers stood looking on, leaving him requiring hospital treatment for lacerations and bruises. Raed’s father said that he was heading to his pottery shop in the Old City, after returning from the markets’ area in Hebron, and then asked his child to carry some items to take them home in the southern part of the city.

• Lord, we pray for the Palestinian residents of Hebron, particularly the children who are witnessing harassment and aggression on a day-to-day basis. We pray that these attacks from the Israeli settlers will cease as the physical and mental injury they cause are leading to unknowable damage for the future hopes of Palestinians. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

On Monday 8^th July, Sabeel Jerusalem will hold a Bible study for Jerusalem women led by Sabeel founding member Cedar Duaybis.

• Lord, we are thankful for the continuing Sabeel contextual bible study sessions with the community in Palestine. We, specifically, raise before you the commitment of the women who will meet at Sabeel Jerusalem. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayers.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Eritrea and Ethiopia. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Thursday 4^th July 2019

On Friday, 28 June 2019, in excessive use of force against peaceful protesters on the 64th   Friday of the Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege, Israeli forces wounded 128 Palestinian civilians, including 38 children, 3 women, 7 paramedics, and a journalist. Four of those wounded sustained serious wounds.

• Lord, we continue to pray for the people of Gaza as they raise their voices in protest. May your will be done so that all the people of this land may come to enjoy the fruits of a just peace. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

This week marks one of three occasions in the year designated as a Kumi Check-in when supporters of Kumi Now are encouraged to evaluate the initiative. Comments on the entries or the non-violent actions demonstrating solidarity with Palestinians would be especially welcome during the first week of July by email,(feedback@kumi.now.com)

• Dear Lord, we thank you for the Kumi Now initiative which seeks to inform and to suggest ways of engaging with non-violent actions to show support for Palestinians living under the Israeli occupation. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

An economic workshop took place In Bahrain on Tuesday, the 25th of June and Wednesday, the 26th of June. The event hosted delegations from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Egypt. There were no delegations from Palestine or Israel. The Palestinian Authority boycotted the event after the Trump administration recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Jared Kushner called for major economic investment in the Palestinian Territories, as well as in Jordan, the Lebanon and Egypt, without specifying where such investment would come from. The political details of the White House plan remain secret.

• Lord, we pray for the Palestinian people as they watch their future debated in Bahrain without consideration for the internationally recognised rights and concerns. We pray that they and their supporters may not lose heart but remain steadfast in their pursuit of a just peace in Palestine/Israel. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer

Oman announced it would open an embassy in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah. The official pronouncement coincided with the second day of the Bahrain workshop. It was designed to affirm the sultanate’s continued support for the Palestinian people.

• Dear Lord, we pray that the presence of the Omani Embassy in Ramallah will help their government keep well informed about the struggles faced by Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt broke open a new tunnel running under a Palestinian village in East Jerusalem during a ceremony inaugurating a settler archaeological project. The ceremony, inaugurating the “Path of the Pilgrims” in the Silwan neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, was organized by the settler organization Elad.

• Lord, we pray that the undermining of the Palestinian presence in Jerusalem in the name of archaeology will come to an end. May the US and Israeli officials and settler bodies come to accept that the internationally accepted division of Jerusalem cannot be changed by underhanded means. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Salwa Qubti has finally won her forty-year legal battle with the Israeli military. She has been fighting for the right to visit the grave of her father who died in the Nakba over seventy years ago. His grave lies in the Christian cemetery in the village of Ma’lul in the Nazareth area and an Israeli Air Force base is now located over its ruins. Salwa never met her father as she was born in July 1948, four months after her father’s death and burial. The family were expelled from the village by Israelis and sent to live in Nazareth.

• Dear Lord, we thank you that Salwa will now feel some sense of closure as she has finally been permitted to visit her father’s grave. We pray that she will be accompanied by her relatives to help her travel, as she is now confined to a wheelchair. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer

World Refugee Day was marked on Thursday, the 20th of June. UNRWA records show that the number of registered Palestinian refugees in 2018 came to about 6 million,

which accounts for about half the number of Palestinians throughout the world, (about 13 million). Palestinian refugees live in Jordan, Syria, the Lebanon, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, while two thirds of the population of Gaza are refugees suffering unemployment and extreme poverty.

• Dear Jesus, when you set out on your ministry in the Holy Land you had no home to call your own. We pray that you will look with mercy on those who have fled and who continue to flee from danger, homelessness and hunger. We pray too that you will bless those who work to bring relief to those suffering poverty and despair. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

27^th of June 2019

At least 13 Palestinians were injured by Israeli forces as they took part in the Great March of Return on Friday, the 21st of June. The forces used live bullets and rubber coated steel ammunition when they shot protestors.

• Lord we pray for those who were injured in protests in Gaza this week. We pray for the lifting of the blockade on Gaza and for the return of the Palestinians to their homeland. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work of Sabeel, based in East Jerusalem.

Sabeel is an ecumenical liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians.

The word ‘Sabeel’ is Arabic for ‘the way’ and also ‘a spring of life-giving water’. The movement seeks to deepen the faith of the Christians in Palestine and to raise awareness of their witness and their concerns around the world.

• Lord, we pray for the work of Sabeel and we pray, too, for the holy city of Jerusalem. You see the sufferings and the deprivations of so many in this city. Strengthen, O Lord our God, the hearts of all those who work for justice here and support them with your Holy Spirit. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Friends of Sabeel North America, (FOSNA), are taking part in a joint action to counter Christian Zionism in Washington DC on the 7th and 8th of July. They aim to bring to light the influence of Christians United for Israel, (CUFI). This group has a membership of over 5 million in the US and it is the largest organization driving support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians. Recently CUFI lobbied the US government to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, for unconstitutional anti-BDS legislation and promotes illegal settlement expansion.

• Dear Lord, we pray for the work of FOSNA and for their deep concern for their brothers and sisters in Israel/Palestine. We pray for those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Al Haq is an independent Palestinian humanitarian organization, based in Ramallah in the West Bank. It monitors and documents human rights violations by all parties in the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. On Monday the 10th of June Israel’s Ministry of Strategic Affairs, (MSA) claimed it had persuaded European and US banks to close down its international account, even though it doesn’t have any accounts with them. It was one of 30 NGOs to be targeted by the Israeli government with unsubstantiated smears and verbal attacks.

• Lord we pray for those in positions of political leadership that they do not abuse their power by trying to silence human rights defenders. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Palestinian residents of the village of Sur Baher, south east of Jerusalem, have been given until the 18th of July to demolish 100 apartments The Israeli authorities are using the pretext that they are too close to the security fence. The residents will have to demolish their own apartments or they will face heavy demolition costs and fines from the Israeli municipality. So many Palestinians are forced to build without permits as the Israeli authorities refuse to grant them.

• Dear Lord, we pray for the villagers of Sur Baher who will soon have nowhere to live. Slowly but surely the Palestinians are being forced out of their homes. We pray that there would be an international outcry at the way the Israeli government is treating the Palestinian people. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The water shortage in the West Bank continues. This is a result of years of Israel’s discriminatory water policies. The amount of water allowed to the West Bank has not been increased since 1995, although its population has almost doubled since then. As a result, the average Israeli has access to 2-3 times the World Health Organization’s recommended minimum water allowance per day, while the average Palestinian living in the West Bank has access to only 75% of that minimum amount.

• Lord, water is a source of life, and we pray for the people living in Occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem who continue to live with restricted water supplies, especially during this hot summer, while others in the settlements have uninterrupted access to water. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Kenya and Tanzania. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Thursday 20^th June 2019

The ‘Great March of Return’ and ‘Breaking the Siege’ protests continued on Friday 14^th June. Israeli forces used live ammunition and rubber coated steel bullets injuring 49 protestors, including a female paramedic east of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip. The weekly protests call for lifting the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip and for the return of the Palestinian refugees to their ancestral homes in pre-1948 Palestine.

      ·         Lord, we continue to pray for the safety of those taking part in the non-violent protest. May their cries be heard, and international pressure brought to bear to recognise the right of Palestinian refugees to return to the land which they were forced to leave. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.    

The Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, (ICAHD), which works to stop house demolitions carried out against Palestinians. ICAHD also works to achieve peace in Palestine/ Israel by advocating for the equal rights of Palestinians and Israelis. It focuses on the human cost of the Israeli occupation and raises a critical Israeli voice to the public debate abroad. It is estimated that since 1967 Israel has demolished 54,000 Palestinian homes in the occupied territory.

·      Dear Lord Jesus, as an adult you knew what it was like to have nowhere to lay your head, but as a child you were provided with a home. We pray for the Palestinian children who have seen their homes demolished before their eyes. Often their homes are destroyed because the necessary building permits have been withheld by the very authorities who bulldoze their properties. Lord you see the suffering and trauma this inflicts on families. We thank you for the work of ICHAD as they seek to draw attention to the Israeli policy of home demolitions. Lord, in your mercy…

On Monday, the 10th of June, after a 13-year legal battle, the Israeli Supreme court judged that the historic properties near the Jaffa Gate had been legitimately acquired by foreign intermediaries acting for the Ateret Cohanim settler organisation. This decision almost completely removes the essential Christian presence from the Jaffa Gate area.

·      Dear Lord, we pray that these attempts to further weaken the Christian presence in the land of the Holy One will be halted, and that all faiths are free to worship in their holy places according to international law. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On the 10th of June Hassan al-Awewi gave up his hunger strike after 69 days. His health had deteriorated, and the authorities agreed to end his administrative detention.

Hassan is one of nearly five hundred Palestinians out of a total of 5,400 Palestinian prisoners who are currently held under administrative detention, that is imprisonment without charge or trial. Detention orders can be issued for up to six months at a time and renewed indefinitely.

·      Lord, we pray that Hassan’s health will improve now he is receiving medical attention. We pray that international lawmakers will speak out and require that the Israeli state puts an end to the policy of imprisoning Palestinians without charge or trial. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Despite current political instability, the leader of the centre-left Democratic Party in Moldova announced that it will move the country’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It would be the first European country to do so.

·      Lord, we pray for the city of Jerusalem. It is a city sacred to the people of three faiths and a city that should be shared in peace by them all. It saddens us to hear of countries making political statements to claim the city for the people of one faith and to try to exclude all others. We pray for the peace and tranquillity of Jerusalem. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

A ground-breaking Palestinian Oral History Map has been launched online as part of an archive created by the American University of Beirut. The project contains over 1000-hours of oral testimonies from Palestinians who lived through the Nakba, describing everyday life in Palestine before 1948, as well as their experiences of displacement and exile. (http://www.palestinechronicle.com/ground-breaking-palestinian-oral-history-map-launched-video)

·      Lord, we thank you for this imaginative project to help Palestinians to reconnect with their history that has almost been erased from the textbooks they read in school. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

·      We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Malawi and Zambia. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Thursday 13^th June 2019

The Great March of Return was replaced on Friday with prayers for Eid al-Fitr to celebrate the end of Ramadan. From 30^th March – 7^th June 2019, 131 Palestinians were killed and 13,900 injured by Israeli dispersal tactics and use of live fire (OCHA/UN)

• Lord, our hearts are gladdened to hear that our Muslim brothers and sisters in Gaza were able to celebrate Eid al-Fitr despite the ongoing desperate situation. We pray that the Israeli administration come to realise that the people of Gaza cannot continue to be oppressed and that their legal right to return to their homes must be recognised. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Tawjihi (school leaver) exams began last week for students at Palestinian schools. In any context, exams are difficult and stressful enough without the ongoing issues of checkpoints, movement restrictions, and other problems caused by the ongoing Israeli occupation.

• God, we lift up the many students finishing the school year and all of those taking the national Tawjihi exams. We pray for the coming summer months, and the few opportunities available to Palestinian youth. We ask that all young people would be able to enjoy a safe, fun, and productive summer. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Kumi Now initiative this week concentrates on Christian Zionism and the work of Peacemaker Trust. We encourage all those engaging with this initiative to read the information on the growing problem Christian Zionism causes in Palestine and Israel and the work of the Peacemaker Trust.

• Lord, give strength and courage to those engaging with the Kumi Now initiative that they may engage fully with this week and the Kumi action. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Last Sunday, churches around the world celebrated Pentecost and remembered the beginning of the Church. Now, as then, the church here serves in a context of occupation and seeks to show an alternative way in a world driven by empire.

• Blessed Redeemer of all the Earth, this week we pray especially for your Church in the Middle East. Stand with the women, men, and children who are your body in the Middle East and send your Holy Spirit upon them. Protect your children from all evil and let the flame of your love, truth, grace, and goodness burn within us all. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) continues to have a presence in Palestine and Israel through the Ecumenical Accompaniment programme (EAPPI). These volunteers, stationed in various places throughout the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem act as a reminder to Israel that the international Christian community care deeply about the ongoing situation and are unwilling to just stand by.

• Gracious and protecting Lord, encourage and strengthen the leadership of the WCC as they look to the future of EAPPI and their presence here in the land of the Holy One. Open the eyes of those who engage as accompaniers to see the realities on the ground and grant them the grace to speak out, so that they may share what they have seen when they return to their homes. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Sabeel Jerusalem will host various groups this week, some for a talk about the realities on the ground and the work of Sabeel, some will join us for prayer, and one will take part in a tour.

• Lord, we are grateful for all of the groups who take time to come to Sabeel whether to find out about the realities on the ground or to hear about the work of Sabeel with the local community and beyond. Grant the staff and volunteers of Sabeel the strength and grace to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, and to share your liberating love with all who they come into contact with. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Botswana and Zimbabwe. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

6^th June 2019

The ‘Great March of Return’ and ‘Breaking the Siege’ protests on the Gaza/Israel border continued on Friday, the 31st of May. It coincided with International Quds Day an annual event marked each year on the last Friday of Ramadan. At least seven Palestinians, including one child were injured by live fire from Israeli forces during the protest.

• Dear Lord, we pray for those who were injured during the protest. We pray for the people of Gaza as they continue to protest for their right of return to their homeland and we pray for an end to the twelve-year blockade of Gaza which is making life there insupportable. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

This week the Kumi Now initiative explores the work of the Palestine Museum of Natural History, and the Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability in Bethlehem. These organizations were established in 2014 to carry out research and conservation projects in the natural environment in Palestine.

• Lord, we pray for the work of the Palestine Museum of Natural History, and the Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability. We thank you for the work of those who want to take care of the land and the life it supports. We pray that, through their efforts, they may find ways of using resources more sustainably. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

This week our Muslim sisters and brothers in Palestine, Israel, and around the world will celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the feast marking the end of Ramadan.

• Lord we pray that this may be a special time for all who are celebrating and that they will have opportunities for fellowship with family and friends without restriction of movement. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Sunday, Sabeel organized a solidarity women trip to the occupied Golan Heights. The group worship with the small Christian Community in the Golan, witnessed the realities on the ground and developed friendships with the community.

• We give thanks for the optimism, energy, and enthusiasm of the many women who participate in the programming of Sabeel’s activities. We pray for the people of the occupied Syrian Golan, the community who was displaced by Israel and the community who is living under the Israeli military occupation. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, voted to dissolve itself on Wednesday, the 29th of May after Benjamin Netanyahu was unable to establish a majority coalition. This means that the country will have to hold a second election on the 17th of September, just two weeks before Netanyahu’s expected court appearance on a series of corruption charges.

• Oh Lord, we pray that those who are elected to the Knesset would represent all the citizens of Israel and would respect their office with honorable service. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Sunday, 2^nd June Israel held its annual Jerusalem Day celebrations to commemorate the occupation of East Jerusalem during the 1967 war. These celebrations were marked with extreme right-wing Israeli youths marching through the Old City to Damascus Gate shouting chants against Christianity and Islam whilst proclaiming Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel. There were also conflicts at al-Aqsa Mosque when Israeli Jews entered the compound to pray – something which is normally forbidden especially during the final few days of Ramadan.

• Lord, we pray that the Israeli authorities will come to realise that there is no peace and justice without the recognition of international law. Grant to people of all religions the peace to come together and pray in their sacred places without the threat of interference or violence. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

A baby named Shahd was the only survivor of triplets born in January 2019 in Manasseh Hospital, East Jerusalem. Her mother had to return home to Gaza for the funeral of the baby girl’s siblings. The mother was then prevented from returning to care for her surviving baby for six months by the permit system imposed by the Israeli government. She was finally able to reunite with her baby on Tuesday, the 28th of May.

• Dear Lord, we pray for the Palestinian children who are left to undergo serious medical treatment alone in hospital, while their parents wait for permits to join them. We pray that this inhumane policy will be revoked and that families would be allowed to support their children in hospital. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

30^th May 2019

During the weekly ‘Great March of Return’ protests in Gaza, sixteen Palestinians were hurt in clashes with the Israeli forces, including a volunteer paramedic and a photojournalist. Israeli soldiers have killed 307 Palestinians, including children, medics and journalists, and injured more than 29,000, since the protests started in the Gaza Strip, on Palestinian land Day, March 30th, 2018.

• Lord, we pray for those who were injured in the protests on the Gaza border. We pray for the right of return for Palestinian refugees and for an end to the siege of Gaza. We also pray for the international support to replenish food and medical supplies which are running dangerously low, with the UN repeating its warning that by next year Gaza will be uninhabitable. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

This week we are encouraged to engage with the second Kumi Care week, thinking about caring for the mental health of those engaged in activism. This care involves taking a break from challenges and calls to action. It is good to take the occasional break and relax, taking part in a restful activity to unwind.

• Lord, remind us that we are not made to work all the time and we have more energy and enthusiasm when we take sufficient rest. We pray that those involved in activism do not drive themselves too hard, but instead take care of their health. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Wednesday the 22nd of May dozens of Palestinians protested in Ramallah over the adoption of a German bill, which aims to criminalize the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions movement, (BDS). The bill presents the BDS movement as anti-Semitic. The protestors have written to the German government pointing out that such a law would violate the Human Rights Charter over freedom of expression. It would also contradict EU foreign policy, which holds that the BDS movement falls within the framework of freedom of expression.

• Oh Lord, we pray for your guidance and ask that we may learn ‘your way and walk in your truth’ (Psalm 86:11). Help us to speak out when we witness the silencing of peaceful protest and the criminalizing of those standing against injustice. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Noor Jericho Solar Park is Palestine’s first solar power station and it is due to open in June. The power generated here will be distributed by a Jerusalem-based Palestinian electricity company to Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jericho. This project is part of a wider plan to invest in renewable energy in Palestine and to reduce Palestinian dependence on Israeli power.

• Dear Lord, we thank you for the warmth and the light of the sun and how scientists have learned to convert solar energy into a renewable source of power. We thank you for the new solar park in Jericho and we pray that the plans to install solar panels throughout Palestine will be realized. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Tuesday Sabeel held an Ecumenical Bible Study in Jerusalem for Women. Sabeel conducts a number of contextual bible studies in different parts of the country to deepen the faith of the Christian community and to connect our faith to the realities on the ground. 

• Lord, we are so thankful that there is a hunger for your Word in the faith communities served by Sabeel. We pray that your Spirit would lead and guide this time of fellowship and that it would glorify you and bless those taking part. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Many international groups continue to visit Palestine and Israel with a focus on connecting with the Palestinian people on the ground and showing solidarity with the Palestinian people living under occupation.

• Lord, we are so thankful for the warmth and the hospitality of the Palestinian people. Even in their suffering they open their homes to strangers to come and meet them and find out what their lives are like. We pray that those who take alternative trips go back to their families and friends and tell them about the difficulties experienced by Palestinians forced to live under Israeli occupation. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The US is set to hold a two-day economic workshop in the Bahraini capital of Manama at the end of June. The Palestinian leadership have now officially stated they will not be attending the event, stating that there needs to be an end to the Israeli occupation,  restrictions on the movement of goods and people should be lifted, and international law and UN resolutions should be implemented before consideration can be given to economic support.

• Lord, we pray for the people of Palestine and the stifling conditions of occupation they suffer. We pray that international powers would speak out against this injustice, demand political change and the full implementation of international law in Palestine. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Angola and Mozambique. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

23^rd May 2019

The ‘Great March of Return’ protest was cancelled by the organisers for only the second time in over a year. A large demonstration had already taken place in Gaza on Wednesday, the 15th of May to commemorate Nakba Day and call for their right to return to their homes to be recognised. Sixty-five Gazans were injured during that demonstration as the Israeli army used live fire and tear gas against ten thousand protestors.

• Lord, we pray for all those who were injured during the demonstration in Gaza. We continue to pray for an end to the blockade of Gaza and for the right of return to their homes for the Palestinian refugees. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Supporters of the Kumi Now initiative are encouraged this week to meet up in Kumi city gatherings. The idea is that such gatherings would help activists to get to know one another better. Hopefully they will then want to organise future events, such as sharing a meal, showing a film or inviting a speaker to raise a greater awareness of Palestine in their communities.

• Dear Lord, we thank you for all those people who have a heart for the injustice suffered by those living in Palestine and Israel. We pray that they may work together to help bring a clearer understanding of the oppression suffered by Palestinians. We long for an international outcry against the injustice they face. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Palestinians called for a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest final in Tel Aviv on Saturday, the 18th of May. They staged an alternative show called ‘Globalvision’ in Haifa with Palestinian, Israeli, and international artists. The hope was to draw attention to the country’s occupation. Globalvision parties were also planned in London, Dublin, and Bethlehem as well as a separate Gazavision which took place in Gaza held by a group of youth called We Are Not Numbers which was won by 23-year-old Jahed Shehada.

• Dear Lord, we thank you that Palestinian artists have come together to use their creative gifts to highlight the difficulties faced by their people living under occupation in Israel. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Israeli group ‘Breaking the Silence’ erected an enormous billboard on the busiest street in Tel Aviv with the slogan, ‘Dare to Dream of Freedom’, playing on this year’s Eurovision slogan, ‘Dare to Dream’. ‘Breaking the Silence’ is an NGO group comprised of former soldiers against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. Behind the slogan the billboard shows a picture of Tel Aviv’s Mediterranean beachfront alongside a view of Israel’s West Bank separation wall with a military watchtower. It also invites visitors to ‘See the Full Picture’ with daily free tours to Hebron in the occupied West Bank.

• Dear Lord, millions of people viewed the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday, the 18th of May. Many will be unaware of the apartheid conditions suffered by Palestinians living in the West Bank and particularly by those living near the separation wall. We are thankful for the courage of the activists in the ‘Breaking the Silence’ group in erecting the billboard and offering tours to the West Bank. We pray that they will open the eyes and hearts of many more people to the sufferings of the Palestinians. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The situation in Gaza worsens by the day. The Palestinian Authority has imposed sanctions on the Gaza Strip as part of its ongoing dispute with Hamas. These sanctions have led to cuts in payments to thousands of civil servants and needy families. Now UNWRA is warning that more than one million people in Gaza will face hunger next month, due to the sudden cut in Palestinian refugee aid imposed by the US in 2018.

• Oh Lord, we remember your undertaking to ‘uphold all who are falling and to raise up all who are bowed down’, (Psalm 145:14). We bring the people of Gaza to you as they try to survive in their confined land, which has become an open prison. We pray that international powers will respond to the urgent call for help, to keep the people there from starvation and recognise their right to return to their land. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

An Arab American musician, Tawfiq Zaher, was walking on a street in Nazareth when he was killed by a stray bullet. He was a well-known and gifted Oud player. Thousands of people attended his funeral. They also voiced their concern over the rising levels of violence being experienced by the Arab community living inside Israel.

• Dear Lord, we pray for the family and friends of Tawfiq Zaher as they mourn his sudden and accidental death. We pray too that the Israeli police will take interest in combatting rising levels of crime and violence in the communities they are meant to protect. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

As part of the Sabeel Wave of Prayer for Thursday 23rd May 2019 we had news and a prayer for the death of Aisha Al-Lulu, unfortunately the reporting from where we took the news at the time was not accurate. Therefore please see the below replacement news item:

Aisha Al-Lulu, a five-year-old Palestinian girl with cancer from Gaza, died in a Gaza hospital. Aisha had undergone a complex operation to remove a cancerous tumour from the brain stem and died due to complications after surgery. Aisha was treated in a Jerusalem hospital, however, her parents were repeatedly denied permission to leave Gaza and join her during her treatment, leaving the five-year-old to cope alone with major surgery and a difficult recovery.

• Lord, we remember the family of Aisha as they grieve for their loss. We confess the sin of being silent and tolerating for long the unjust Israeli military practices. Lord help us in our struggle to regain our freedom and dignity. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the Indian Ocean Islands of Comoros, Madagascar, the Maldives, Mauritius and the Seychelles. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Thursday 16^th May 2019

The Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege protests continued this week, with organisers emphasising the importance of keeping the protests non-violent and away from the fence. Abdullah Abed al-Ail, 24, was killed by Israeli live ammunition, while 30 others, including four children and a paramedic, were injured.

• Lord, we continue to pray for the safety of the Palestinian protesters andfor their rightful demands to be answered. We pray that those who have been injured may soon recover and that grieving family of Abdullah may find solace. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

This week, Palestinians commemorate 71 years since Nakba. Our Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work BADIL Resource Centre for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights. BADIL is an independent, human rights non-profit organization committed to protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).

• Lord, we pray for the work of BADIL and for their work with refugees and IDPs. Grant to us all the graciousness to show hospitality to the stranger especially to those suffering from trauma. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that in the past two weeks alone, Israeli occupation forces demolished 41 Palestinian-owned structures in occupied East Jerusalem and Area C of the occupied West Bank, displacing 38 Palestinians and affecting 121 others.

• Lord, we continue to pray for the people of Palestine as they live under Israeli occupation. We remember the families that have lost their homes, especially the children. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

For the past 14 years, an Israeli group, Combatants for Peace, have organized an alternative Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Ceremony that aims to “acknowledge the pain of those living on the ‘other side,’” and brings together Israeli and Palestinian families bereaved by the conflict. Israel’s Supreme Court on Monday ordered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following his refusal to grant Palestinians permits, to allow 100 Palestinians from the West Bank to attend the joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day ceremony in Tel Aviv.

• Lord, we pray for all people of conscience in both Palestine and Israel who work for Justice. we give thanks for all the initiatives that aim to shed light on the suffering of the innocent victims of the Israeli military occupation. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Palestinians are commemorating the Nakba on May 15th. This date reminds them of the catastrophe which began seventy-one years ago, in 1948 when five hundred and thirty Palestinian villages and towns were destroyed and over seven hundred and fifty thousand Palestinians fled for their lives. A whole generation of Palestinians have now been constrained to live out their lives as refugees.

• God of love and justice, as we commemorate the Palestinian Nakba (May 15) this week, our hearts break with the grief of 71 years of different forms of injustice and suffering in Palestine. Though our hearts break, we remain steadfast. Keep our courage and resilience strong and renew within the Palestinian people the will and the hope for strategic peaceful resistance to on-going abuses. Lord, we cry out that the continuing Nakba of Palestinian dispossession and suffering must end! We pray for all Palestinians at home and abroad, especially refugees driven from their homes in 1948, they still long to return to their rightful homes. How long, O Lord, will this continue?
  Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Two Palestinian prisoners Odeh Hroub, 32, and Hasan Awawi, 35, held in Israeli administrative detention, without a charge or trial, completed on May 12^th, 41 days of hunger strike protesting their unfair detention.

• Lord, we pray that the spirit of the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike remains strong specially as their health continues to deteriorate. We remember the mothers of the Palestinian prisoners and their pain. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in prayer for the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.