We pray for people around the world working for freedom, justice
and peace:
- We pray for the people of Tunisia as they work to rebuild
democracy after removing a corrupt leader through popular resistance;
- We pray for the movement in
Israel to work “for democratic values, freedom of speech, equal rights for
citizens and the end of the occupation" that motivated thousands of
demonstrators to gather in Tel Aviv last Saturday to protest the possible
Knesset investigation into the funding of Israeli “left-wing” human rights
organizations; and
- We pray for ICCO of the
Netherlands as they stand up against pressure from the Dutch Minister of
Foreign Affairs to change their policy that includes supporting organizations
who endorse BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions).
Our prayers are with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the patron of
International Friends of Sabeel, as he lately has been personally targeted with
slanderous attacks because of his outspokenness for a just peace in Israel and
Palestine and especially because of his call for the Cape Town Opera to not
perform in Tel Aviv when there is not freedom for everyone to attend. We pray
that the petition-pledge of support for him, found at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/defend-tutu/,
will encourage and strengthen him in his ministry.
We give thanks for the time of fellowship, volunteering and fun together
in the Galilee for the young adults from the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Galilee
who came on the joint Nazareth-Jerusalem Sabeel trip last weekend. Most of the
young adults from the West Bank are only able to enter Israel and Jerusalem
when they are granted permits over the Christmas season, making this trip a
special opportunity. As these permits now expire we remember in prayer the many
Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza whose movement is severely and unjustly
restricted.
As the Week of Prayer for
Christian Unity begins this Saturday we join the Christians in Jerusalem and
our brothers and sisters around the world in praying for a renewed commitment
to active unity as we struggle for justice, peace and equality for all people.
With the Prayer
Cycle of the World Council of Churches, we pray for: Algeria, Libya,
Morocco, Western Sahara, Tunisia
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