29/9/11 - Français

Après la semaine mouvementée aux Nations Unies et la réaction positive au discours de Mahmoud Abbas, rendons grâce et prions pour l’ensemble des pays, des gens, des Églises et organisations qui ont exprimé leur soutien à la demande d’un État  Palestinien. Prions pour que tous les hommes politiques et dirigeants du monde aient le courage de prendre position pour la justice, en discernant judicieusement et équitablement ce qui est juste pour toutes les nations. Seigneur, dans Ta miséricorde, entends notre prière.

Prions pour l’unité du peuple palestinien à Gaza et en Cisjordanie, en sorte qu’il puisse résister aux pressions qui s’exercent sur lui ; des pressions qui le frustrent de ses droits inaliénables à l’autodétermination. Prions aussi pour les citoyens arabes palestiniens d’Israël qui se trouvent aux prises avec le dilemme d’état face à leurs propres problèmes internes. Seigneur, dans Ta miséricorde, entends notre prière.

L’agression contre Jérusalem s’est accélérée cette semaine avec les projets de démolition d’un plus grand nombre de maisons dans le quartier de Silwan. Nous déplorons aussi le récent kidnaping dans les locaux de la Croix Rouge d’Ahmad Attoun, membre du Conseil Législatif Palestinien.Prions pour que la communauté internationale prenne ses responsabilités pour mettre fin à toutes les violations des forces israéliennes d’occupation. Seigneur, dans Ta miséricorde, entends notre prière.

Rendons grâce pour le bon retour du directeur de Sabeel, le Rev. Naim Ateek, et de Cedar Duaybis, membre du bureau, après leur participation à la conférence sur le “Kairos Palestine”aux Pays-Bas. Prions pour que leur participation, ainsi que celle d’autres Palestiniens, ait ouvert le cœur de nombreux Hollandais afin que la Parole de Dieu soit une bonne nouvelle pour tous les croyants.

Au cours des prochaines vacances juives, prions pour que les forces israéliennes consacrent leur énergie à la dimension spirituelle de ces vacances par la prière et le jeûne plutôt qu’à des démonstrations de force accompagnées de barrages et de mesures sévères aux points de contrôle.  

29/9/11 - English

After the eventful week at the United Nations and the positive reaction to the address of Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, we give thanks and pray for all the countries, people, churches and organizations who expressed their support for the Palestinian Statehood bid.  We pray for all politicians and world leaders to have courage and to stand for justice, discerning wisely and fairly what is right for all nations. Lord in your mercy…

We pray for the unity of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank, so that they are able to withstand the pressure exerted on them; a pressure that deprives them of their inalienable rights to self determination.  We also pray for the Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel who find themselves caught in the statehood dilemma while facing their own internal problems.  Lord in your mercy…

The onslaught on Jerusalem accelerated this week with the plans for the demolishing of more homes in the Silwan neighborhood.  We also mourn the latest kidnapping from the Red Cross premises of the Palestinian Legislative Council member Ahmad Attoun. We pray that the international community rises up to its responsibility to put an end to all the violations of the Israeli occupying forces.    Lord in your mercy…

We give thanks for the safe return of Sabeel director Rev. Naim Ateek and board member Cedar Duaybis after their participation in the conference on “Kairos Palestine” in the Netherlands.  We pray that their participation and that of other Palestinians has opened the hearts of many Dutch people so that the word of God is good news to all believers. 

During the upcoming Jewish holidays, we pray that the Israeli forces will exert their energy toward the spirituality of those holidays with prayers and fasting rather than with a show of force with closures and harsh measures at checkpoints.

With the World Council of Churches we pray for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia

22/9/11 - English

It has been confirmed that Friday the 23^rd of September, the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, will submit to the Secretary General of the United Nations the Palestinian bid for the recognition of Palestine as a member state.  We pray that the member states will support that bid wholeheartedly for the sake of peace for both the  Israelis and Palestinians, recalling the  words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “We are tied together in a single garment of destiny; we are caught in a network of mutuality.  And I can never be who I ought to be until you are who you ought to be.”Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayers...

As the Witness Visit comes to an end, we pray for the safe travel of all the participants.  May they return home refreshed by the truth, and may they be inspired to share their witness with others so that they can open their eyes and hearts to the harsh realities of the occupation.  We pray for Nora Carmi who could not accompany the Witness Visit for the Contemporary Way of the Cross as she lost her husband during this past week.  We offer Nora and her family our heartiest condolences. Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayers...

We pray for the runners of Silwan, especially those supporters from abroad who run in order to raise awareness to the grave and violent circumstances in which the children of that neighborhood of  East  Jerusalem pass their childhood, as homes  continue to be confiscated by Jewish settlers.  We pray for a successful campaign as those runners are trying  to help raise funds for the creative center built by the Silwan community for their children.  Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayers...

Now that the summer holidays are over, the Sabeel staff is once again busy planning for the various community programs.  We pray for the safety of the participants, women and young adults, as they hike in the depopulated town of Lifta and Ein Jiddi during this coming week end, and for the youth as they join other youth groups in Ramallah for fellowship.  Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayers...

With the World Council of Churches we pray for Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine

15/9/11 - English

The 21st of September is the day the UN General Assembly starts its new session for 2011. Let us keep this date in our thoughts and prayers, especially that the Palestinian Leadership will be submitting its bid for the recognition of Palestine as a member state.  We pray that all UN decisions will be made on the basis of Justice, and that the powerful will refrain from applying double -standards that discriminate against the weaker states.

Israeli settlers on the West-Bank have accelerated their aggression in the past two weeks.  They set fire to three mosques in villages around the city of Nablus. They also painted graffiti abusive to Islam and the Prophet Mohammad on the walls of the mosques.  In the West-Bank town of Bir-Zeit, settlers sprawled abusive graffiti on the walls of Bir-Zeit University and one of the mosques in town.  Israeli settlers also physically attacked a Bethlehem University lecturer and a female student on their way to University.  We pray that the Government of Israel will take measures to put an end to such attacks, and that the settlers would realize that they cannot continue to occupy another people's land forever.

We pray for the upcoming conference in the Netherlands starting on the 15th of September. The conference is being organized by the "Netherlands Kairos Palestine Group" to discuss, promote and spread the "Kairos Palestine- Document "A Moment of Truth". We pray for all those attending the conference -speakers and participants- that they will speak a word of truth for the glory of God, and for the sake of peace in Palestine and Israel.

The Human Rights organization, B'tselem, draws the attention to the way the Israeli army, violently, deals with peaceful demonstrations on the West-Bank, especially most recently, in the West-bank village of Nabi-Saleh near Ramallah. B'tselem fears that this is an indication of the way the Israeli army plans to deal with further peaceful demonstrations the Palestinians may hold to express the affirmation of their rights to statehood and self-determination.  We pray that the Israeli government will itself recognize Palestinian rights and the right of people to demonstrate peacefully.

With the World Council of Churches we pray for: Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania

8/9/11 - English

We are happy to join you again in the wave of prayer after the summer break throughout the month of August. The Sabeel staff are back from their vacation feeling refreshed and rested, to carry forward the ministry of Sabeel with renewed energy and vigour. We pray that they will be guided by your Spirit in their work and as they do their planning and visioning for the months ahead. 

September is here and with it the beginning of the new school-year. It cheers the heart to see the hopeful faces of the school children as they go back to their school benches.  We pray that this year will be a peaceful one, and that they will be able to reach their schools safely and without delays, despite the obstacles in their way: the wall, the checkpoints, the searches, the gates and the closures.
 
The beginning of September marked the end of the month of Ramadan, the month of fasting and prayer for our Muslim brothers and sisters. Sabeel extends its heartfelt congratulations on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitr, to the Muslim and Arab world with our best wishes for peace and prosperity.
 
We pray for the upcoming witness visit from the 14th to the 22nd of September.  This year we have a small group of eight people joining the tour.  We pray for an enriching and fruitful visit that will enable the participants to see and learn, first hand, the situation on the ground.  We pray that they will go back inspired and encouraged to continue the work of justice and peace for this troubled land.  We also remember in our prayers all the people who helped organize this witness visit.
 
The countdown to the meeting of the UN General assembly has started. As we approach this crucial juncture in our history, we pray that the Palestinian Leadership will go well prepared to submit their just petition for Statehood before the international forum.  We pray that the world body of nations will rise to its responsibility and accept Palestine as a member state alongside the other states of the world.

With the World Council of Churches we pray for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia