Sabeel Wave of Prayer: Week of June 12, 2017
The government of Israel has recently approved thousands of new housing units in illegal settlements in the West Bank, including over 3,000 which are scheduled for “immediate construction.”
Creator God, the Israeli government continues to illegally grab Palestinian land. We pray that the international community will have the courage to follow up the implementation by Israel of UN resolutions. We pray also that the eyes of the oppressors will be opened so that they may see the humanity of their fellow people and stop building these settlements which cause so much suffering.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer…
Last Wednesday, businesses and schools were closed during strikes in Palestinian-majority cities inside Israel after a guard at an Israeli police station shot and killed Muhammad Taha during clashes with the police in Kafr Qasim protesting police negligence and brutality. Leaders of the strike said that Taha posed no threat to the police and called his death “cold-blooded murder.”
Lord, we pray for an end to the violence and death. We thank you for people who are willing to use nonviolent resistance, such as strikes, to protest against the powers which devalue human life. We hold the family of Muhammad Taha in our prayers as they grieve for their loved one.
Lord, in your mercy…
The amount of electricity that Israel supplies the Gaza strip is scheduled to be reduced, despite the ongoing power shortage there already. This announcement comes as a result of conflict between the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, and Israel.
Lord, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip continues to worsen. We pray for an end to divisions among Palestinian leadership which make it more difficult to meet people’s needs. God of abundance, provide for your people in Gaza, and give them hope for themselves, their children, and their communities. We pray also for an end to the blockade which makes the people of Gaza so vulnerable to inability to meet their basic needs.
Lord, in your mercy …
For Palestinian young people, education is a source of hope for a better future. This week, students across Palestine and Israel are finishing the school year, and many who are completing secondary school are taking national exams that will determine their ability to enter university.
God, please give these students clarity of mind and the confidence to do their best, despite the uncertainties that surround them, and let the summer holiday be a welcome rest for all the children. We pray especially for our high school students as they take the exams that shape their future. May our young people never lose hope for a future of freedom and peace.
Lord, in your mercy…
Prime Minister Netanyahu called for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to be dismantled and accused it of anti-Israel bias. UNRWA provides aid to over five million Palestinian refugees around the Middle East.
Lord, Palestinian refugees are still not allowed to return to their homes, and now Netanyahu is calling for the dismantling of aid programs that work to meet their basic needs. We pray that leaders around the world will make decisions that will help the refugees rather than minimizing their needs.
Lord, in your mercy…
We join the world Council of Churches in praying for the countries of Botswana and Zimbabwe.
Lord, in your mercy…