August 16th of 2018

 

For more than four months Palestinians have continued to protest in the ‘Great March of Return’ rallies along  the border between Gaza and Israel. They are calling for their right to return to their homelands. On Friday, August 3rd a Palestinian man, Ahmed Yaghi, was shot and killed by the Israeli army. According to Palestinian health officials at least 220 others were wounded during the protests, among them Muaz al Siri, a teenager who died of his wounds early on Saturday morning.

• Lord, we pray for the families of Ahmed and Muaz as they grieve over their loss. We continue to pray for the safety of the protestors and for them to continue to espouse non-violent means to achieve their demands. Lord, in your mercy…

 

On the 8th of August, Rev. Naim Ateek, Chair of the Board of Sabeel, issued a statement on the Israeli Nation-State law, which was passed by the Israeli Knesset on the 19th of July. He states, ‘For it’s supporters, the law reflects Israel as a strong state that defines its identity as Jewish. For those who oppose it, it validates Israel as an apartheid state.

• Lord, we bring to you our fears over Israel’s Nation-State law. We ask for your guidance on how to express our non-violent opposition to any laws which seek to oppress people. Let us join with Rev Ateek as we pray the words of your prophet Micah: ‘He has told you O man what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?’ Micah 6:8. Lord, in your mercy…

 

On Saturday, the 4th of August at least 100,000 Israelis attended a Druze-led demonstration against the Nation-State law in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv. Further efforts have been made by Israeli-Arab leaders to express their opposition to the controversial law as they filed the fourth petition to the High Court of Justice against the law on Tuesday the 7th of August.

• Lord, we pray that the pleas for justice and righteousness may be heard throughout Israel and around the world. Lord, in your mercy….

 

The UN’s special co-ordinator for the Middle East peace process, Nickolas Mladenov, has expressed his deep concern over the recent escalation of violence between Gaza and Israel.

On Wednesday, the 9th of August the Israeli military launched air attacks and artillery shelling on Gaza after 180 rockets were fired by Hamas from inside Gaza. At least three Palestinians were killed and six others were wounded in the air attack, while eleven Israelis were injured by the rockets from Gaza which landed in Sderot, Israel. This heavy exchange of fire comes as talks in Cairo to secure a ceasefire were making progress.

• O Lord, our Shepherd and our Rock, we pray to you at this time of violence in and around Gaza. Please strengthen the resolve of those involved in the negotiations to bring about a just peace in the region and deliverance for all those who continue to suffer. Lord, in your mercy…

 

On Friday, the 3rd of August the Israeli navy diverted a Swedish-flagged ship carrying medical supplies for Gaza to the Israeli port of Ashdod. The twelve passengers on board, mostly from Sweden, but from other European countries as well, were held for ‘further inquiries’. This ship was part of a four vessel flotilla which left Denmark in May with the aim of breaking the blockade imposed on  Gaza by Israel. Israel limits Gaza’s fishing-boats to six nautical miles from the cost of Gaza.

• Lord, the plight of the people of Gaza is grievous. Many live without work, with little food , fuel or medical supplies and we hear that many are becoming hopeless and desperate. We are thankful that around the world there are those who remember them and seek to bring them relief. Lord in your mercy…

 

Dareen Tatour, the Palestinian poet, was convicted for posting a poem on social media on Tuesday, the 26th of July. Tatour, an Israeli citizen was sentenced by the Nazareth District Court after having served almost three years under house arrest. She has been banned from publishing her work and accessing the internet. Her lawyer, Gaby Lasky, expressed her regret that a country which believes in democracy should inflict a prison sentence on a poet and that this trial was intended to intimidate and silence Palestinians in Israel.

• Lord, you have given us creative gifts and we are thankful for them. We pray for those who use their gifts to draw attention to injustice. Lord in your mercy…

 

Rashida Tlaib won the Primary in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District on Tuesday the 7th of August. This victory brings her closer to becoming the first Palestinian-American woman to hold national office. She is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants and the eldest of fourteen children.

She says she was encouraged to embark on a political career by her former boss who is Jewish, Steve Tobocman.

• Lord we are thankful for those who stand up and take responsibility for governing our countries, especially those who have been uprooted from their native land and have settled in another country. Lord, in your mercy….
• We join the World Council of Churches in praying for the countries of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.

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August 2nd, 2018

 The ‘Great March of Return’ protests continue into the eighteenth week, as Palestinians call for the right of return to their homeland.

• Lord, we pray for the safety of the protestors and for them to continue to espouse non-violent means to achieve their demands. Lord, in your mercy…

Arkan Thaer Mizhar, a fifteen year old Palestinian boy was killed, while many others were wounded by Israeli forces in the Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem on Monday, the 23rd of July. When Israeli soldiers carried out overnight arrests, a riot broke out and the soldiers fired live rounds at the protestors.

• Lord, we remember the family of Arkan as they grieve for his loss. Lord, in your mercy…

On Wednesday the 25th of July, Israeli air raids killed three Palestinians and critically injured a fourth person in Gaza. The attack was carried out after a ceasefire brokered by the U.N. and Egypt helped to end an earlier wave of attacks on the besieged enclave.

• Lord, we continue to lament the recent violence in Gaza. We pray for an end to the Israeli military occupation and for Palestinian refugees to be able to return home. Lord, in your mercy…

This week the Israeli government, along with Israeli military personnel, have used their might to cause harm in several Bedouin communities and have also demolished a vital water pipeline in the village of Ras al Ahmar in the northern area  of the Jordan Valley. On Wednesday the 25th of July Israeli bulldozers demolished a kindergarten and a women’s cultural centre at Jabal al-Baba, a Bedouin community in the eastern part of Jerusalem, in the West Bank. On Friday the 27th of July Israeli bulldozers demolished the village of al-Araqib in the Negev desert in southern Israel for the 131st time.

•  Lord, we pray that those in authority in Israel, who continue to use their might to uproot communities and deprive them of the basic essentials to survive: shelter, water and land. We cry out to you and ask that their eyes may be opened to the inhumanity of these actions. And yet Lord, help us to remember that the hope you give us does not put us to shame, as you pour your love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, (Romans 5:5). Lord, in your mercy, 

 

On Sunday the 22nd of July more than a thousand Israeli settlers were given access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under armed security by the Israeli police.

 

• Lord, we pray for those who intend to provoke anger and violence, that their hearts may turn to seek peace. Lord, in your mercy…

 

The Palestinian activist and writer Lama Khater is reportedly being subjected to harsh and intensive interrogation at Ashkelon, the Israeli prison. Israeli soldiers arrested Lama at dawn on Tuesday the 24th of July in the city of al Khalil in front of her five children.

• Lord, may we remember all those who speak out courageously for justice even at a cost to themselves. We remember the prayers of Peter and John the apostles after their imprisonment by the authorities for sharing the gospel, to ‘grant to your servants to continue to speak your words with all boldness’,(Acts 4:29). Lord, in your mercy…

 

The UN  agency for Palestinian refugees will cut more than 260 jobs in the West Bank and Gaza due to lack of funds. These cuts are the first outcome of a significant American reduction in their contribution to UNWRA.

• Lord, Palestinian refugees are still not allowed to return to their homes, and now even the lifeline of aid to meet the basic needs of the refugees is under threat. We pray that leaders around the world will step up to bring relief to the refugees. Lord, in your mercy…

 

The Israel Army stopped the activist boat attempting to supply Gaza with medical supplies. The boat was carrying 22 people from 16 different countries in protest against Israel’s decade-long blockade.

 

• Lord, we thank you for people who care about those living under siege in Gaza. We are grateful for the actions of those living abroad who seek to give a voice to those who are oppressed. Lord may they depend on your strength for you are ‘a stronghold in times of trouble’ Psalm 9:9. Lord in your mercy…

 

Ahed Tamimi, a Palestinian teenager convicted of assaulting an Israeli soldier, was released with her mother, after both serving a sentence of eight months.

 

• God, we continue to remember the Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails. We ask your spirit to guide us to mobilize the efforts of the peacemakers to set the captives free and to put an end to this occupation. Lord in your mercy…

 

• We join the World Council of Churches in praying for the countries of Republic of Congo, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe ……….

July 26th, 2018

 

The ‘Great March of Return’ protests continue into the seventeenth week, as Palestinians call for the right of return to their homeland. Last week, Israeli soldiers fired live bullets and teargas canisters towards Palestinian protesters gathered along the fence with Israel, killing 27-year-old Mohammad Sharif Badwan and wounding 120 others.

• Lord, we pray for the family of Badwan as they grieve for their loss. We continue to pray for the safety of the protestors and for them to continue to espouse non-violent means to achieve their demands. Lord in your mercy…

 

In Gaza, a deal was reached between Hamas and Israel after four Palestinians and an Israeli soldier were killed in the latest violence in the Gaza Strip.

• Lord, we lament the recent violence in Gaza and pray for all the families who have lost loved ones. We pray for an end to the Israeli military occupation and for Palestinian refugees to be able to return home. Lord in your mercy…

 

The Israeli authorities confiscated 324 dunams, (80 acres),of Palestinian land around the city of Ramallah to build a road for Israeli settlers. The planned road would link the illegal Israeli settlements of Beit Aryeh and Ofarim.

 

• Lord, the Israeli occupation continues to dispossess the Palestinian people of their land. We pray that those who stand for international law and human rights would speak out and condemn the illegal actions of Israel in the world-wide community. Lord in your mercy…

 

Mahmoud Zayed, a 28 year old Palestinian with Down’s syndrome, was assaulted and had his hand broken when he was arrested by the Israeli army in the city of Hebron city.

 

• Lord we pray for the release of Mahmoud and his speedy recovery. We remember all the Palestinian prisoners, especially the women, children and people with special needs who will be traumatized by this treatment. Lord in your mercy …

 

Israel has endorsed the Nation-State Law that serves to define the nature of the state of Israel, disregarding human rights and democratic values. There are now more than sixty five Israeli statutes which discriminate against the Palestinian citizens of Israel.

 

• Lord, we continue to pray for justice and freedom for all the people in our troubled land. Help us to remember that when those who suffer injustice cry out to you, your eyes are towards them and your ears hear them. You promise to be near the broken-hearted and you save the crushed in spirit, (Psalm 34:13-16). Lord in your mercy…  

 

Israeli settlers from the illegal Israeli settlement of Hallamish, in the district of Ramallah, attacked participants of “Hike and Explore Your Homeland”. The attack came as an attempt by Israeli settlers to prevent people from reaching land which they plan to confiscate so they can expand their settlement. The group regularly hikes around various sites of Palestine to give young Palestinians an opportunity to become more informed about their land and, on this occasion, they were trying to reach a natural spring in the Palestinian town of Beitello.

 

• Lord, we give thanks for all the international observers in occupied Palestine who witness and document violations against defenseless civilians. We pray that the day may come when any settlers committing illegal acts would be held to account in international courts. Lord in your mercy…

 

Two Palestinian families demolished the houses where they had lived  for nearly two decades, saying they would rather destroy  their own homes than watch Israeli settlers take possession of them. The demolition was the culmination of a lengthy legal battle between the families and a settler organization. Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that the land on which the houses were built belonged to the Israel Land Fund whose stated goal is “acquiring all the Land of Israel for the Jewish people”.

 

• Lord, help us to hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, (Hebrews10:23) We ask you to strengthen our resolve to speak out against the overwhelming injustice suffered by the Palestinian people with further land confiscations, house demolitions and attempts to eclipse their history. Lord in your mercy…  

 

• We join the World Council of Churches in praying for the countries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Lord in your mercy…

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July 19th 2018

 

The ‘Great March of Return’ protests continue for the fourth month as Palestinians call for the right of return. On Friday the 13th of July, Israeli soldiers shot and killed Othman Halas, a Palestinian teenager, who had been taking part in the border protests.

• Lord, we pray for the family of Othman as they grieve for their loss. We continue to pray for the safety of the protestors and for them to continue to espouse non-violent means to achieve their demands. Lord in your mercy…

 

Last week Israel launched the most intense wave of airstrikes on Gaza since the 2014 war, while militants in the enclave fired volleys of rockets at towns adjacent to the border. Nowa ceasefire has been agreed between Israel and the different Palestinian factions.

• Lord, we mourn the recent violence in Gaza and the retaliatory rockets fired across the border into Israel. We pray for all families affected by the violence. We pray that the ceasefire will be respected by all parties to avoid more suffering. Lord in your mercy…

 

Israeli forces destroyed more than 400 metres of water pipeline, which is a vital  lifeline to the Palestinian farmers and Bedouin in the Jordan valley. Many have to eke out an existence in enclaves closed off by Israeli military zones, checkpoints, and more than thirty illegal Israeli settlements. Recently Israeli forces used bulldozers to razethe ground in search of water holes and have destroyed water sources in several areas in the Jordan Valley.

• Lord, as we gaze upon this parched land we think of you and how our souls thirst for your righteousness. Let us pray in the words of Psalm 143:8,

‘Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.’

 

The Irish Senate has voted in favor of a bill prohibiting the importation and sale of goods and services originating in illegal Israeli settlements.

• Lord, we continue to pray for all who work for justice in the world. We give thanks to the people of conscience who stand in solidarity with people of Palestine. Lord in your mercy… 

 

On Saturday the 14th of July, seven thousand Israeli demonstrators took part in a protest march in Tel Aviv against the proposed Nation-state Bill. If passed by the Knesset this bill would allow Jewish-only communities and Hebrew would become Israel’s only official language. The bill cites Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, fixes the Hebrew calendar as the official calendar of state and recognizes Jewish holidays. If passed, the legislation would constitute a violation of human rights, democracy, and complete disregard for international law. The bill would deprive Palestinian citizens in Israel of economic, as well as political and social rights.

• Lord, we continue to pray for justice and freedom for all people in our troubled land. We ask for your spirit to empower us to remain steadfast in our demands for equality and democracy. We give thanks for all the Israelis who continue to challenge the injustice and discriminatory laws of the government. Lord in your mercy…

 

Sabeel is conducting two Bible study training courses this month to help groups of about thirty people to come and learn how to become Bible study facilitators. The participants come from various churches and denominations in Palestine. They will be led in their studies by theologians to enable them to go back and teach new contextual Bible study programmes in their local communities.

• 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 training and that it would glorify you and bless those taking part in it. Lord, in your mercy…

 

• We join the World Council of Churches in praying for the countries of Djibouti and Somalia. Lord in your mercy…

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July, 12th 2018

On the 4th of July Mahmoud al-Gharableh, a 16-year-old Palestinian boy, died of his wounds after being shot by Israeli snipers last month. Thousands of Palestinians continue to take part in the ‘Great March of Return’ calling for their right of return to their homeland and for lifting the oppressive Israeli siege.

• Lord, we pray for the family of Mahmoud as they mourn their loss. We continue to pray for the safety and steadfastness of the protestors to keep their commitment to non-violence to achieve their Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer

 Last week the Israeli Supreme Court granted a temporary injunction to halt the demolition of the Palestinian Bedouin village of Khan al-Hmar, east of Jerusalem. This demolition had been planned to make way for the further expansion of the illegal Male Admit Israeli settlement. Israel faced an international outcry as their forces gathered to start demolishing the village and to forcibly remove its 181 residents, many of whom are children.

• Lord, we hold the community of Khan Al Hmar in our prayers as they resist the orders of the Israeli army to displace them. We give thanks for all the Palestinians, Israelis and international advocates who are prepared to make a stand for justice for this community. Lord, in your mercy…

Benjamin Ladraa is a 25-year-old Swedish activist who is on a 3000 mile walk from Gothenburg, Sweden to Jerusalem to raise awareness about human rights violations in the occupied territories. Over the past eleven months he has walked through fifteen different countries. The Israeli authorities prevented Ladraa from entering Palestine when he arrived at the Allenby Bridge, on the Jordanian-Palestinian border.

• Lord, we give thanks for Benjamin Ladraa and for all the people of conscience who are committed to justice and peace and are determined to speak out about the plight of the Palestinians living under occupation. Lord, in your mercy…

For the past two months the Israeli settlement of ‘Amihai’ continues to discharge its sewage water into the fields worked by Palestinian farmers from the village of Turmus Ayya, north-west of Ramallah. The settlers have dug a pit near the fields to allow the sewage to soak away but the pit overflows and floods the fields. The farmers fear that the sewage poses a threat to their health and will undermine the local economy.

• Lord,  when we are provoked by the harmful attacks on us by our neighbors, help us to pray for ‘The wisdom that comes from above’. Remind us of your promise that ‘a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace’ (James 3:17-18).  Lord, in your mercy…

The 60th Ramallah Convention took place between the 4th -9th of July 2018. Over one thousand members of the Ramallah community living in the Diaspora visited the city of their forebears to renew their ties with the land and to show solidarity with the Palestinian people.

•  Lord, we give thanks for the success of the Ramallah Convention. We are grateful for the opportunity for families to gather together and to see relationships strengthened. We pray that the Palestinian community in the Diaspora will continue to act as ambassadors for justice. Lord, in your mercy…

 

Sabeel Nazareth has organized an educational trip for 45 members of the community to visit four Palestinian villages which were depopulated in 1948.  Also last week, Sabeel Nazareth launched the book ‘Nakba and Survival’ by Adel Mana.

•  Lord, we continue to pray for the staff and volunteers of Sabeel. We give thanks for those who are willing to stand up and call for justice, even under the threat of reprisals. Lord, in your mercy…

 

• We join the World Council of Churches in praying for the countries of Eritrea and Ethiopia. Lord, in your mercy…

 

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July, 5th 2018

Sadly Yaser Abu al-Naja was the sixteenth Palestinian child to be killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. Since the beginning of the ‘Great March of Return’ 134 Palestinians have died, and 17,000 have needed medical attention. The World Methodist Council has called for a week of prayer for Gaza and the Holy Land from the 1st to the 7th of July.

 

• Lord, we continue to pray for all who demonstrate for justice and equality. We give thanks for the prayer support of our brothers and sisters in the World Methodist Council. We pray in the name of Jesus, who proclaimed, ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.’ ( Matthew5:6) Lord in your mercy……..

 

A mental health crisis is gripping the Gaza Strip, born of repeated wars and the stress of meeting daily needs in this besieged and impoverished Palestinian enclave. Recently there  has been a significant increase in the numbers of those suffering from symptoms of psychological distress.

 

• Lord God we pray for an end to the isolation of Gaza which is undermining the physical and mental health of those who live there. We pray for relief for the suffering people of Gaza and an end to their captivity. Lord in your mercy ……….

 

Palestinian children from al-Awda camp in Eastern Gaza, set off balloons carrying photos of victims and prisoners, as well as messages to Israelis. Demonstrations at the Gaza border included traditional Palestinian dances and music.

 

• Thank you Lord for those who use their creative gifts to challenge injustice, and we give you thanks for the children of  al-Awda camp . Lord please let their messages and pictures speak into the hearts of their oppressors. Lord in your mercy…..

 

The United States has frozen aid funds to the Palestinian Authority under the ‘Taylor Force Law’.This law is intended to prevent the Palestinian Authority from paying monthly stipends to families of those killed, wounded and imprisoned by the Israeli army. Whilst the United Nations Relief  and Works Agency,(UNRWA), which has been providing vital services to Palestinian refugees for seven decades, is now faced with its most severe financial crisis.

 

• Lord, we pray that the Palestinian refugees are granted the right to return to their properties and homeland, and that the Israeli occupation comes to an end. We pray for the Palestinians who must now depend on the mercy and compassion of others. Lord in your mercy ……..

 

Israeli soldiers abducted  seventeen Palestinians in several different areas of the occupied West Bank and summoned a young woman for interrogation. Israeli soldiers have broken into many Palestinian homes and dozens of Palestinians have been interrogated.

Concerns have  been raised over the deteriorating  state of health of 24-year-old Omar al-Kiswani after the torture he was subjected to under interrogation in prison. He now suffers from severe backache after this abuse.

 

• Lord, this relentless oppression is sapping our strength. We cry out to you and ask for deliverance. May the Palestinian people be restored to their land, so they can once again live in peace . Lord in your mercy ………..

 

The Israeli army has announced that bulldozers will shortly arrive to wipe the West Bank Bedouin community of Khan al-Ahmar  to make room for the expansion of  Israeli Settlements.

 

• Lord our hearts cry out as we witness such inhumanity . We pray for the Khan al-Ahmar community that their homes, school, community centre and land may not be taken from them. Lord in your mercy …….

 

The results of the Tawjihi (National exam for Palestinian students completing 12th grade) will be released this week. Students have to perform well in these exams to be admitted into university.

 

• We pray for the thousands of young people who will be celebrating their achievement and we remember the students who may not reach their target grades. May the students of Palestine use their education to serve and strengthen their communities. Lord in your mercy…

 

The Sabeel- Kairos Conference 2018 took place in Oxford, UK on Saturday, the 30th of June.

Rev Naim Ateek gave a talk on the theme of his recently published book, ‘ A Palestinian Theology of Liberation’, focussing on the spirituality of seeking justice for the Palestinians.

Other presenters gave practical advice on ways of taking a stand for justice by finding out if churches in the UK have ethical investment policies and boycotting businesses profiting from the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

• Lord, give us the eyes to see the injustice in Palestine and the hands to work to challenge the oppression and to stand alongside our brothers and sisters in their suffering.

 

• We join the World Council of Churches in praying for the countries of Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda. Lord in your mercy…

 

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Sabeel Wave of Prayer
June 28th, 2018

 

Last Friday marked the eighty fifth day of the ‘Great March of Return’. It has been named officially as the ‘Friday of the Wounded’. Since the Gaza protests began on the 30th of March, at least 133 Palestinians have been killed and 14,600 wounded by the Israeli forces. Last week Israeli war planes bombed more than two dozen sites in the besieged Gaza Strip. This action drew retaliatory rocket fire from the Palestinians.

 

• 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 ……….

 

On the 20th of June two boats which are taking part in the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza arrived in Lisbon, Portugal. The ‘Al Awda’ (the ‘Return’) and ‘Freedom’ have 25 activists on board and hundreds  of people greeted their arrival. These boats and several other boats are heading towards Gaza in a new attempt to break the eleven- year Israeli siege.
Two other boats arrived in Paris, but the French police prevented them from landing along the River Seine. Nevertheless, hundreds of supporters waved Palestinian flags while standing on the banks of the river, to cheer them on their journey.

 

• Lord, we thank you for people who care about those living under siege in Gaza. We are grateful for the actions of those living abroad who seek to give a voice to those who are oppressed. Lord may they depend on your strength for you are ‘a stronghold in times of trouble’ Psalm 9:9. Lord in your mercy…

 

Israeli activists hung 115 kites along the Boulevard Rothschild in Tel Aviv last Sunday, 17th June. Each kite commemorated a Palestinian who had been killed by Israeli forces during the ‘Great March of Return’ and each kite bore the photograph, name, and birth date of the victim. These tokens of remembrance were displayed to challenge the lack of response from the Israeli public to the killings in Gaza.

 

• Lord, thank you for those who care about the sanctity of life and for those willing to challenge indifference. Lord in your mercy ……

 

The World Cup brings hope and joy to people around the world, including the people in Gaza. A rehabilitation centre in Gaza has formed a football team for amputees called the ‘Heroes Football Club’. This team is seen as a glimmer of hope for many young Palestinians who were injured by the Israeli forces during recent wars and the ongoing protests.

 

• Lord, we thank you for our brothers and sisters who continue to call out for justice, and who refuse to give in to despair. Lord in your mercy …

 

Prince William of the UK will visit the West Bank this week and meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Ramallah Office. His itinerary includes events that focus on the issues facing refugee communities. He will have the opportunity to experience Palestinian culture, music and food as well as having the chance to meet a number of young Palestinians.

 

• God, we are so thankful that this young Prince has chosen to visit the West Bank as well as our neighboring countries. We pray that he may enjoy the hospitality of the Palestinian people, while gaining a clearer understanding of their plight. Lord in your mercy…

 

Last week a group of Anglican and Methodist trainee clergy from Birmingham, UK , visited Sabeel and shared in our Thursday worship. The group is touring the region for two weeks to gain an understanding of how local people are constrained to live in the West Bank. After sharing communion together, Sabeel and the group expressed their support for the revival of the Poor People’s Campaign in the US.

 

• Lord, we thank you for the many visitors we meet here at Sabeel, and for our shared prayers.  We thank you for the prophetic witness of the Poor People’s Campaign. We especially thank you for all of those who are ready to stand up for your righteousness. Lord in your mercy …….

 

A Holocaust survivor and Palestinian rights’ lawyer, Felicia Langer has died at the age 87. Felicia Langer was a human rights activist, first in Israel and then later in Germany, to establish the enforcement of international law in Palestine With her demise the Palestinians have lost a strong advocate for their struggle for freedom and justice.

 

• Lord, we give thanks for the life and witness of Felicia Langer. We remember the family of Felicia as they mourn her loss. We pray for all the people of conscience around the world who continue to work for the liberation of oppressed people regardless of their race or religion. Lord in your mercy…

 

• We join the World Council of Churches in praying for the countries of Kenya and Tanzania. Lord in your mercy…

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June 21st, 2018

 

The “Great March of Return” continues in Gaza.  Tens of thousands of Palestinians attended morning prayers for Eid-el-Fitr, the celebration which marks the end of the month-long Ramadan fast.

• Lord we continue to pray for the Palestinian demonstrators and their commitment to non-violence. We pray that the Israeli government would abide by international law and would allow Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland. Lord in you mercy…Hear our prayer

Last week Human Rights Watch (HRW) objected to the Israeli forces ‘repeated use of lethal forces’ in the Gaza Strip’ against Palestinian demonstrators who ‘posed no imminent threat to life’ and stated that these actions ‘may amount to war crimes’. The Middle East director at HRW, Sarah Leah Whitson, went on to say that Israel should not be allowed to ‘conduct investigations which mainly whitewash the conduct of its troops’. She also stated that the US should not be allowed to block international accountability with its Security Council veto.

• Lord, we cry to you and ask that the eyes of the powerful may be opened to the pain and suffering of the Palestinians in this troubled land. Lord in your mercy …

It gives us hope that the UN General Assembly approved a Palestinian-backed resolution blaming Israel for violence in Gaza and deploring its ‘excessive use of force’. Since March 30, more than 120 Palestinians have been killed and over 3,800 wounded by Israeli army fire along the Israel-Gaza border.

• Lord we are thankful that the U.N. representatives have spoken out for the protection of Palestinian civilians and are investigating human rights violations. Lord in your mercy ………..

On Wednesday night a peaceful demonstration was held in Ramallah to call on the Palestinian Authority to lift the sanctions it has imposed on Gaza. These sanctions are further exacerbating the suffering caused by the Israeli siege of Gaza. The Palestinian Authority sent in the riot police to disperse the protest. They fired tear gas and arrested a number of protestors.

• Lord, we pray for the Palestinian Authority that it would exercise its authority in a just and righteous way. May those who call out for justice for the oppressed remain steadfast.  Lord in your mercy……         

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not meet with U.S. President Donald Trump’s adviser, Jared Kushner, who is expected in the region this week. President Trump is bullying an already oppressed people into an agreement that deprives them of their basic rights

• Lord, be with us in the time ahead that we remain steadfast with regards to our Palestinian rights. Make us strong to stand firm for Justice for all that are oppressed in this land. Lord in your mercy ………..

On Tuesday June 12 the Israeli forces ordered a Palestinian farmer, Ahmad Assi Damra, in the Jordan Valley to evacuate his land. They plan to destroy his six acres of palm trees. A similar order was reportedly made to another Palestinian farmer, Suleiman al-Zayed, who had planted his smaller plot in the village of Nuwei’meh, north of Jericho, with olive trees.

• Lord, we continue to pray for the Palestinian farmers as they witness the Israeli forces uproot their trees and deprive them of their only source of income. We long for the  time when the words of your prophet Micah are fulfilled, “Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid…” Micah 4:4. Lord in your mercy…

More than 700 Palestinians in the neighborhood of Silwan, in occupied East Jerusalem are awaiting a decision from Israel’s High Court, which could determine their right to live in their own homes. They are challenging a ruling that transferred ownership of the land on which their homes stand, to a Jewish trust more than a decade ago.

• Lord, we pray that the Israel government will abandon its strategy of forcing the Palestinians out of their homes. Lord in your mercy…

Marah Natshe  is the first female circus trainer in Palestine and the leading female performer in “Sarab” – or mirage, a Palestinian Circus School show. It is an unusual circus show which features juggling and acrobatics to highlight the plight of refugees from the Middle East, including Palestinians.

• Lord we thank you for Marah and for the way she is using her creative gifts to highlight injustice. May your innovative spirit bless Marah’s leadership and all who are involved in this project. Lord in your mercy…….

 

• We join the World Council of Churches in praying for the countries of Malawi and Zambia. Lord in your mercy…

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June 21st, 2018

The “Great March of Return” continues in Gaza.  Tens of thousands of Palestinians attended morning prayers for Eid-el-Fitr, the celebration which marks the end of the month-long Ramadan fast.

• Lord we continue to pray for the Palestinian demonstrators and their commitment to non-violence. We pray that the Israeli government would abide by international law and would allow Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland. Lord in you mercy…Hear our prayer

Last week Human Rights Watch (HRW) objected to the Israeli forces ‘repeated use of lethal forces’ in the Gaza Strip’ against Palestinian demonstrators who ‘posed no imminent threat to life’ and stated that these actions ‘may amount to war crimes’. The Middle East director at HRW, Sarah Leah Whitson, went on to say that Israel should not be allowed to ‘conduct investigations which mainly whitewash the conduct of its troops’. She also stated that the US should not be allowed to block international accountability with its Security Council veto.

• Lord, we cry to you and ask that the eyes of the powerful may be opened to the pain and suffering of the Palestinians in this troubled land. Lord in your mercy …

It gives us hope that the UN General Assembly approved a Palestinian-backed resolution blaming Israel for violence in Gaza and deploring its ‘excessive use of force’. Since March 30, more than 120 Palestinians have been killed and over 3,800 wounded by Israeli army fire along the Israel-Gaza border.

• Lord we are thankful that the U.N. representatives have spoken out for the protection of Palestinian civilians and are investigating human rights violations. Lord in your mercy ………..

On Wednesday night a peaceful demonstration was held in Ramallah to call on the Palestinian Authority to lift the sanctions it has imposed on Gaza. These sanctions are further exacerbating the suffering caused by the Israeli siege of Gaza. The Palestinian Authority sent in the riot police to disperse the protest. They fired tear gas and arrested a number of protestors.

• Lord, we pray for the Palestinian Authority that it would exercise its authority in a just and righteous way. May those who call out for justice for the oppressed remain steadfast.  Lord in your mercy……

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not meet with U.S. President Donald Trump’s adviser, Jared Kushner, who is expected in the region this week. President Trump is bullying an already oppressed people into an agreement that deprives them of their basic rights.

• Lord, be with us in the time ahead that we remain steadfast with regards to our Palestinian rights. Make us strong to stand firm for Justice for all that are oppressed in this land. Lord in your mercy ………..

On Tuesday June 12 the Israeli forces ordered a Palestinian farmer, Ahmad Assi Damra, in the Jordan Valley to evacuate his land. They plan to destroy his six acres of palm trees. A similar order was reportedly made to another Palestinian farmer, Suleiman al-Zayed, who had planted his smaller plot in the village of Nuwei’meh, north of Jericho, with olive trees.

• Lord, we continue to pray for the Palestinian farmers as they witness the Israeli forces uproot their trees and deprive them of their only source of income. We long for the  time when the words of your prophet Micah are fulfilled, “Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid…” Micah 4:4. Lord in your mercy…

More than 700 Palestinians in the neighborhood of Silwan, in occupied East Jerusalem are awaiting a decision from Israel’s High Court, which could determine their right to live in their own homes. They are challenging a ruling that transferred ownership of the land on which their homes stand, to a Jewish trust more than a decade ago.

• Lord, we pray that the Israel government will abandon its strategy of forcing the Palestinians out of their homes. Lord in your mercy…

Marah Natshe  is the first female circus trainer in Palestine and the leading female performer in “Sarab” – or mirage, a Palestinian Circus School show. It is an unusual circus show which features juggling and acrobatics to highlight the plight of refugees from the Middle East, including Palestinians.

• Lord we thank you for Marah and for the way she is using her creative gifts to highlight injustice. May your innovative spirit bless Marah’s leadership and all who are involved in this project. Lord in your mercy…….

• We join the World Council of Churches in praying for the countries of Malawi and Zambia. Lord in your mercy…

 

 

On Friday, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a 15-year-old boy, Haitham al-Jamal and three other Palestinians, while 92  others were wounded. Over the last eleven weeks more than a hundred Palestinians have been killed  in demonstrations along the Gaza border.

 

• Lord, we pray that there may be an end to this dreadful loss of life. We pray that the Palestinians may once again live peaceably, enjoying respect and justice in their homeland. Lord God let your will be done..

 

Last Tuesday, the Israeliarmy raided the village of Humsa al-Fawqa and expelled five Palestinian families from their homes. The army plan to carry out military exercises in the area. This is the third time this has happened to these families in the past two months alone.

 

• Lord, our home should be a place of shelter and safety and yet the people of Humsa al- Fawqa face frequent evictions and harassment. We pray that this military victimization will cease. Lord in your mercy…

 

Last month the Bedouin village of al-Araqib was demolished for the 129th time by the Israeli army. The Israeli government has employed various methods to bring pressure to bear on the Bedouin people tomove to town centers and confiscate their lands. These government facilities are not designed to cater for the needs and customs of the Bedouin.

 

• Lord, we give thanks for the international support which has been expressed for the village ofal-Araqib. People around the world have been shocked by the actions of the Israeli government. We ask for strengthening to continue to work for your justice with loving hearts, committed to loving our neighbours as ourselves. Lord have mercy…

 

Palestinians and human rights activists have asked the international community to boycott special events in Israel to exert pressure on the Israeli government to abandon its occupation of Palestine.The Argentinian football team responded to this request by cancelling a friendly game with the Israeli team in Jerusalem. The Palestinian footballers have expressed their gratitude to the Argentinian team.

 

• Lord we long for ‘the time when your righteousness will abide in the fruitful field and the effect of righteousness will be peace’(Isaiah 32:16). Lord may your kingdom come and your will of be done…….  

 

A 21-year-old, IzzaAl-Tamimi,from the village NabiSaleh died ofhis wounds after he was shot by the Israeli army during a demonstration in his village.

 

• Lord we pray for the family and friends of IzzaAl-Tamimi, that you will bring them comfort at this distressing time. We pray for the safety of Palestinian demonstrators and for an end to the Israeli military occupation. Lord in your mercy ….

 

Israel’s Knesset has disqualified a bill that called for Israel to be “a state for all its citizens”, rejecting the argument it must recognize the rights of its Arab minority as equal to the Jewish majority.

 

• Lord we pray for the day when Israel becomes a country which no longer discriminates against its citizens on the basis of ethnicity or religion. Lord in your mercy …

 

Israel will deduct funds from the Palestinian Authority(PA) to compensate for damages caused by ‘fire kites’ from Gaza which have set fire to fields adjacent to the border. Dr. Hanan Ashrawi slammed Israel’s decision to withhold funds from the PA, calling it a violation of international law.

“Israel insists on punishing its own victims and criminalizing any and all forms of resistance to its illegal and oppressive system of colonization. Such a bill is an egregious violation of international law and international humanitarian law and constitutes a collective punishment of the Palestinian people other than being outright theft. Palestinian revenues should not be subject to Israeli jurisdiction,”

 

• Lord we pray that the Israeli policy of violating international law should stop. May the rightful demands of the Palestinian demonstrators for the right of return for refugees and lifting the military blockade on Gaza be granted. Lord in your mercy …….

 

This weekend, 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. Lord, in your mercy…

 

• We join the World Council of Churches in praying for the countries of Botswana and Zimbabwe. Lord in your mercy…

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