Sabeel Wave of Prayer: Week of Aug. 2, 2021

The Kumi Now online gathering on Tuesday, the 3rd of August, considered how Israeli forces are breaking the Fourth Geneva Convention by using collective punishment against the Palestinian population. The theme of Kumi Now the following week will be the celebration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People on the 9th of August. The experiences of the Palestinian people after the Nakba with their forced exile, the denial of their history and attempts to erase their culture connects them to the experiences of many other indigenous groups across the world.

• Thank you, Lord, for the rich diversity of races and cultures around the world. Help us to respect one another and to live in a spirit of peace and co-operation. Strengthen us with power through your Holy Spirit to support those indigenous groups who are suffering oppression. Lord, in your mercy.. hear our prayers.

The Sabeel Online Service takes place each week on Thursdays at 6pm, Jerusalem Time.

Rev Naim Ateek leads us in prayer and reflections on Bible readings and people from different countries respond with contributions on how to help support Palestinians living under the Israeli occupation.

• Lord Jesus, let the light of your love shine in our hearts. We pray that you will ‘bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday’,(Ps37:6) in the Holy Land. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Last week Muslim families gathered across Palestine to celebrate Eid al-Adha by sharing meals and exchanging gifts. Some families celebrated at the beach and, sadly, five Palestinians were drowned while swimming.

• Lord, we pray for those Muslim families whose celebrations turned to mourning, and who now grieve for their drowned relatives. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Mohammed al-Alami, a twelve-year-old Palestinian boy, was shot in the chest by Israeli soldiers while he was travelling in a car with his father and sisters. It has been announced that he has since died of his injuries in Beit Omar. Israeli occupation forces have launched an investigation into the shooting, however, it is unlikely that any soldiers will face repercussions.

• Lord, we pray for the traumatised al-Alami family grieving for their son, Mohammed, who has died so young. We pray that this incident will be properly investigated and that those responsible will be prosecuted. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

The headquarters of Defence for Children International-Palestine (DCIP), in Ramallah was broken into by the Israeli border police at around 5am on Thursday, the 29th of July. The police took computer equipment from the office as well as files on the child detainees being defended by the charity in the Israeli military court system.

• Lord, we give thanks for the work of those who defend the human rights of Palestinian children caught up in the terrifying Israeli  military court system.      We pray there will be an international outcry over the attack on the work of Palestinian human rights activists. We pray that the Israeli government will be held to account for the way they break international law by the violation of the rights of Palestinian children. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

On Saturday, the 24th of July, the Palestinian Human Rights organization, Al-Haq, submitted an urgent appeal to the United Nations Special Procedures over the arbitrary detention of Shana Odeh Abu Fannouneh. Odeh was detained by the Israeli army on Wednesday, the 7th of July. Al-Haq has drawn attention to the Israeli policy of trying to silence Palestinians who have been working in the health services. Odeh has been particularly involved with providing health services to all Palestinian communities across the West Bank during the Covid-19 pandemic.

• Lord, we pray for an end to the intimidation and arbitrary arrests of Palestinian health service workers. We pray especially for the early release of Odeh from detention and that she can resume her work to support Palestinian communities. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

Israeli soldiers seized equipment and cables from technicians working in the Simya area, south of Hebron on Sunday, the 25th of July. The equipment had been funded by the Danish government through the European Union to help restore electricity to 2,500 residents in the area. These residents live in Area C of the occupied West Bank, which is under full Israeli military control.

• Lord, we pray that the EU and other international organizations will put pressure on the Israeli government to return the stolen equipment and allow the restoration of electrical services to residents in the Simya area. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

On Thursday, the 29th of July, the Israeli settlement watch organization, Peace Now, stated that the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture has given millions of shekels to settler associations to fund volunteers to do farm work at illegal outposts in the West Bank. It has also agreed to allocate large swathes of land for illegal settlers to use as grazing, even though the settlers have not received permits to build outposts.

• Lord, we pray for an end to the illegal annexation of Palestinian land and a halt to the way public funds are being used to support illegal Israeli settler association activities in the occupied West Bank. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of the Republic of Congo, Gabon, São Tomé and Príncipe. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers.