Thursday, March 12, 2009

12/3/09 - English



We thank God for a successful and peaceful Sabeel interfaith activity last Saturday. Thirty-five young adults—Palestinian and international Christians along with Israeli Jews—assisted the Sabri family of Beit Ijza in planting several hundred olive trees and almond trees in fields cut off by the Separation Wall and an illegal Israeli settlement. We pray that the personal encounters at this event will foster long-lasting goodwill and friendships.

As more and more homes in East Jerusalem receive demolition orders from Israeli forces, we pray that public pressure and attention will grow large enough to prevent the homes from actually being demolished. Currently, 173 homes (including 88 homes in the neighborhood of Silwan) are being threatened with demolition while settlement expansion around Jerusalem is rapidly accelerating. We pray that these two trends can be reversed quickly and justice can prevail.

We pray for the ecumenical clergy meeting this Friday in Mjaidel near Nazareth. May their time of prayer, Bible study, and discussion strengthen the ties between the Christian denominations and contribute to the building of the Body of Christ in Galilee.

This week, Palestinian leaders are meeting in Cairo to discuss the formation of a coalition government. In the mean time, their Israeli counterparts are also working to form a ruling coalition. We pray that each country will instate a government willing to speak with the other and interested in establishing a just peace.

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