Sabeel Wave of Prayer: Week of April 19, 2022
This year the Eastern Orthodox Church, following the Julian calendar, this week, will be preparing to celebrate Easter on Sunday, the 24th of April.
• Lord, we give thanks as the joyful Easter celebrations take place from different church traditions. We come before the Son of God, crucified and risen, with enduring hope and thankfulness in our hearts. Lord, in your mercy…
On Thursday, the 14th of April, a Palestinian human rights lawyer and a teenager were shot and killed on the fifth day of Israeli military raids in the West Bank. Muhammad Assaf, a 34-year-old father was dropping his children at school when he was shot in the chest by Israeli soldiers in Nablus. In the evening soldiers shot and killed a 16-year-old, Qusai Hamamrah, who was caught up in riots in Husan, near Bethlehem.
• Lord, we pray for an end to the recent spate of violence and brutal Israeli military raids taking place in the occupied Palestinian territories. We pray especially for the families who are mourning the loss of Muhammad Assaf and Quasi Hamamrah. Lord, in your mercy..
Oded Goldreich, Professor of Computer Science at the Weizmann Institute of Science, has declared his intention to donate the Israel Prize money he won, to five organizations dedicated to working for social justice and the end of the Israeli occupation. He nominated the groups as B’Tselem, Breaking the Silence, Adalah, Kav LaOved and Standing Together.
• Lord, we thank you for the resolute stance of Professor Goldreich, which has drawn political censure and almost cost him the professional recognition of the prize. We pray that other Israelis opposed to the occupation would be encouraged to speak out. Lord, in your mercy…
On Wednesday, the 13th of April, European diplomats visited the Old City of Jerusalem. They were briefed about the Israeli settler organizations which threaten to evict Christians from their properties at Jaffa Gate. They also discovered that the Israeli authorities planned to restrict numbers taking part in processions on Holy Fire Saturday, as well as limiting the number of worshippers allowed into the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
• Lord, we pray that the international community will bring pressure to bear on the Israeli authorities to ensure freedom of access to sacred sites and to stop the evictions forced by settler organizations. Lord, in your mercy…
Shops and businesses were closed on Thursday, the 14th of April, as Palestinians in Ramallah and Bethlehem called for a general strike in protest against the recent deadly Israeli military operations. Earlier in the week a Palestinian gunman from Jenin had opened fire in Tel Aviv, killing three people and wounding ten others. In response to this incident the Israeli army launched violent collective raids throughout the West Bank, with six Palestinians shot and killed in just one 24-hour-period and many others arrested and detained.
• Lord Jesus, we pray for an end to this recent cycle of violence. On the night of your arrest you rebuked your disciples for their violent response and reminded them,’all who take the sword, will perish by the sword’,(Matt 26:52). We pray for an end to the Israeli occupation and for the oppression of the Palestinian people. Lord, in your mercy …
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, (CJPME), have just published a report called ‘Arming Apartheid’, which analyses Canada’s arms exports to Israel. The report finds that military exports have accelerated in recent years and reached a 30-year high in 2020. Michael Bueckert, Vice President of CJPME, stated, ’the potential risk to human rights is far too high to justify the transfer of any military goods into the context of occupation and apartheid.’
• Lord we pray that the government of Canada and the governments of countries around the world will consider urgently how their arms sales make them complicit with Israeli human rights abuses against Palestinians. Lord, in your mercy…
A recent YouGov poll commissioned by Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, (APAN) and the Australian Friends of Palestine Association found that the Australian government does not represent the views on Palestine of the majority of the Australian people. Most Australians object to illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the ongoing Israeli occupation.
• Lord, we pray that Australians will hold their government to account over their uncritical support for illegal settlements and Israeli human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories. Lord, in your mercy.. • We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Belarus, Moldova, and especially for Russia and Ukraine, that the war between them would end and the two countries will resort to diplomatic dialogue. Lord, in your mercy…