Early Monday morning Israeli forces raided the East Jerusalem
village of Issawiyeh and imposed a curfew on the residents, who, though living
legally within the borders of Jerusalem, hold West Bank identification and cannot
enter the city without prior permission. We pray for the safety of these
villagers, and hope these injustices will not only be noticed, but also acted
upon by the international community.
This Saturday, the Sabeel communities in Jerusalem and Nazareth
will be joining church-related organizations and peace builders in conjunction
with the World Week of Peace for Palestine and Israel, to lift up prayers for
an end to the separation of families on both sides of the Separation Wall. May
the actions of this week inspire new advocates for peace and renew our vocation
to serve those in need.
We remember also prisoners of conscience all over the world, and
particularly Mordechai Vanunu, the renowned whistleblower for Israel’s nuclear
program, who was imprisoned on Sunday, having been sentenced to serve six
months in jail for allegedly breaking parole.
In the spirit of Pentecost, we pray for unity among religious and
political leaders, and for the Middle East Council of Churches. We hope that in
our world of turmoil and strife, our leaders will have the clarity of mind to
see beyond their differences and be bold for the sake of peace and justice.
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