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…

Download – Print

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…

  Download – Print

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…

 

Download – Print

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…

 

Download – Print

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…

Download – Print

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…

Download – Print

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…

Download – Print

 June 7th, 2018

An Israeli sniper shot and killed a 21-year-old Palestinian female paramedic, Razan Ashraf al-Najjar, as she was treating injured protesters during the demonstrations along the Gaza border with Israel. Since the “Great March of Return” began in Gaza on March 30th, 119 Palestinians have been killed, including children and journalists, and thousands of Palestinians have been injured.

• Lord, may your spirit comfort us as we continue to receive  distressing news from Gaza. We pray that the demonstrations remain non-violent. We long for the Palestinians  to regain their freedom and be empowered to return to their land. We remember the family, friends and colleagues of Razan as they grieve for her loss. Lord in your mercy… Hear our prayers

There are hundreds of Palestinian prisoners who are being held under detention by the Israeli state without trial for up to six months (renewable), for ‘security reasons’.  These prisoners, held under ‘administrative detention’, are expected this week to launch a hunger strike against this Israeli policy. Palestinian prisoners held under administrative detention continue their boycott of the law courts as they have lost hope in ever receiving a just hearing in an Israeli court.

• Lord, we continue to pray for the Palestinian political prisoners. May your spirit give them courage to stand steadfast and to depend on your justice… Lord in your mercy…

On Thursday the 24th of May 2018, three Israeli Supreme Court justices – Noam Sohlberg, Anat Baron and Yael Willner – ruled that the state may demolish the homes of the Palestinian Bedouin community of Khan al-Ahmar and transfer its residents forcebly to a different location.

• Lord, the decisions of the Israeli judges appear quite merciless and the court proceedings seem iniquitous. We pray for the Palestinian people of Khan Al Ahmar that they will not be overwhelmed by  despair or by  the coercion of the occupiers. May your spirit Lord, move the Palestinian community, together with the international community, to stand firm with the people of Khan Al Ahmar to object to their forcible transfer. Lord in your mercy…

Once again, the United States has vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Israel’s use of force in seeking to stifle protests at the border with Gaza.  The US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, rejected the Kuwaiti resolution – which sought ‘measures to guarantee the safety and protection’ of Palestinian civilians.

• Lord, we give thanks for all the people who continue to pursue protection and justice for Palestinians. Dear God, grant the Palestinian people the strength to continue the struggle to achieve independence and freedom. Lord in your mercy…

The Israeli government has approved the construction of 2,070 new illegal settlement units in the occupied West Bank. Since US President Donald Trump came to office, Israel has permitted the construction of more than 14,000 settlement units.

• Lord, we pray that Palestinians may not succumb to despair over the expropriation of their land. We pray for all the people of conscience who work as advocates for the Palestinian people around the world.  Renew their efforts to call upon their governments to respect and implement international law. Lord in your mercy…

This week marks the fifty-first anniversary of the beginning of Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.

• Lord, this week we lament fifty one years of the occupation of Palestine that has brought so much loss, injustice and suffering to the Palestinian people. Please hear the cries of those who love you and who thirst for liberty. Lord, we ask that this year will be a time to speak truth to power, a time to break the silence surrounding injustice, a year for peace, a year for Palestine. Lord, in your mercy…

 

• Lord, we join the World Council of Churches in praying for the countries of Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. Lord in your mercy

Download – Print

May 31st, 2018

During the ninth consecutive week of the ‘Great March of Return’ more than 100 Palestinians, including seven children were wounded by Israeli snipers along the border in Gaza. There is a desperate shortage of drugs and medication for the treatment of the wounded in Gaza as a result of the ten year Israeli blockade.

• Lord, we continue to pray for the safety of the Palestinian protesters and their commitment to non-violence. Dear God, we pray that those who have been injured in the protest may soon recover and that the families who are grieving for their loved ones may find solace. Lord in your mercy…Hear our prayer

The Israeli Knesset has proposed a new bill which would make it a criminal act to film or photograph an Israeli soldier on active duty. The bill is supported by the right-wing Israeli Defence Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, and if passed, those found in violation of the law could face a prison sentence of up to five years. Palestinian journalists view the law as an attempt by the Israeli government to ‘escape punishment and international justice’.

• Lord, we pray for the safety of all people who risk their lives to document the human rights violations of the powerful. We pray that journalists may still be able to report the truth of all they witness in the occupied territories. Lord in your mercy…

Last Friday, the Israeli Supreme Court rejected a petition from six human rights groups to declare that ‘the Israeli military’s regulations that allow soldiers to open fire at unarmed civilians is unlawful’.

• Lord, we continue to depend on your mercy and justice as Israel validates the use of violence against Palestinians through legislative means. We pray for the protection of those who exercise their right to protest against the occupation. Lord in your mercy…

On Thursday, Avigdor Lieberman, the Israeli Defence Minister, said in a statement that he plans to seek approval for the construction of 2,500 Israeli settler homes in the occupied West Bank.

• Lord, the Israeli government continues to demolish the homes of Palestinians and ruin their crops as well as appropriating their land to build illegal settlements for Israelis. We pray that the international community would undertake to hold the Israeli government to account for flouting international law. We ask that due process would be brought to bear on any attempts to colonize the West Bank. Lord in your mercy…

Last Sunday, May 20th, the Palestinian residents of the village of al-Aqaba received demolition orders from the Israeli forces. They were informed that twenty homes would be demolished within a period of sixty days as they were alleged to have been built without the requisite Israeli construction permits.
Over the weekend, Israeli settlers raided Palestinian vineyards in the Hebron area and used electric saws to cut down over 1700 vines. The settlers also spray-painted threats on the walls around the vineyards.

• Lord, Palestinians continue to fall victim to the policies of the Israeli army and politicians. We pray for the safety of Palestinian villages and for renewed strength for the farmers who have lost their vines just months before the grape-h Have mercy on the Palestinian people Lord, as they grow weary. Lord in you mercy…

Three toddlers were found dead in the Palestinian town of Bethany east of Jerusalem. Initial investigation by the police shows that the three children, two sisters and a friend, trapped themselves in an abandoned car while playing and died as a result of suffocation during a heat wave.

• Lord, we pray for the families of Youssef, Raneem and Rahaf as they mourn the deaths of their beloved children and ask that they would find comfort in their grief. Lord in your mercy…

A Palestinian teenager died on Wednesday after succumbing to wounds sustained during protests in Ramallah.  Adi Abu Khalil was only fifteen years old when shot in the stomach by an Israeli soldier last week.

• Lord, the Israeli occupation continues to target Palestinian children and teenagers. We pray for your spirit to comfort the family of Adi as they grieve for their loss. We pray that soldiers firing live ammunition at children would, one day, be held accountable for their action. Lord in your mercy…

• Lord, we join the World Council of Churches in praying for the countries of Angola and Mozambique. Lord in your mercy…

Download – Print