English October 15-2020

Sabeel Wave of Prayer 15.10.20 On Tuesday the 13th of October the Kumi Now Initiative hosted speakers from the Joint Action Initiative (JAI) to talk about the importance of the olive harvest to Palestinian society. • Lord ,we are thankful for the olive harvest and we pray that Palestinian farmers may safely gather their harvest, without attack or hindrance from the Israeli army or settlers. We thank you for the work of JAI and the way they try to support the livelihoods of the Palestinian farmers. Lord, in your mercy... hear our prayers. Coronavirus testing data from Israel suggests there has been a slowdown in the country’s outbreak, three weeks after a second nationwide lockdown was imposed. In recent weeks the country has experienced infection and mortality rates that have been among the highest in the world, relative to population size. • Lord, we pray that the lockdown in Israel will help to diminish the sudden peak in the numbers of people infected with COVID-19 in Israel. We also pray for those who continue to be affected by the rise in cases in the West Bank and Gaza. We pray for wisdom for all those in authority around the world to know how best to limit the numbers of those being infected and suffering with coronavirus. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayers On Thursday, the 8th of October, an Israeli court ordered the demolition of a new Palestinian school in the occupied West Bank. The court ruled that the Ras al-Tenneen School in eastern Ramallah was built without a permit. Construction permits are rarely granted by the Israeli authorities to Palestinians in the occupied Territories. The Palestinian Education Ministry built the school and fifty children were already enrolled there. • Lord of all mercy and grace, you abound in steadfast love and are a fortress and refuge to those in distress, (from Psalm 59:16). We pray that you would show compassion to the children deprived of schools and homes in Palestine. We pray for an end to this vicious cycle of denial of permits and demolitions authorised by the Israeli authorities. Lord in your mercy... hear our prayers. In response to the legal action taken by Adalah, the Legal Centre for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, the Israeli authorities have confirmed that, due to the pandemic, there will be a temporary freeze on the demolition of Palestinian homes across the country from the 1st of October. Israel has demolished 112 Palestinian buildings since the beginning of 2020, which has left 261 Palestinians homeless. • Lord, we pray that the demolition of the homes of Palestinians by the Israeli authorities will never resume. We pray that Palestinians living in the occupied Territories will be allowed to build and extend their homes without fear of criminalisation or demolition. Lord, in your mercy.. hear our prayers On Wednesday, the 7th of October, the wife of Maher al-Akhras started a hunger strike in solidarity with her husband. Maher has been on hunger strike for seventy days and when his health deteriorated he was transferred to the Kaplan Medical Centre. He was arrested on the 27th of July and was sentenced to administrative detention without charge or trial. Israeli courts can renew charges of administrative detention at intervals ranging between three and six months based on a claim of undisclosed evidence. This policy violates international law and forces Palestinian detainees to resort to extreme measures, like hunger strikes, to protest. • Lord, we pray for Maher and his wife and their family of six children. We pray that the administrative detention order against Maher will be cancelled. We pray that the Israeli courts will abandon the policy of imposing administrative detention orders on Palestinians and depriving them of a fair trial. Lord, in your mercy... hear our prayers. An all-day U.K. conference, hosted by the Balfour Project, will be held online on the 27th of October. The conference is entitled, ‘Jerusalem: From Past Divisions to a Shared Future’. A number of eminent historians, politicians and faith leaders will be speaking. • Lord, we pray for those involved with the Balfour Project conference as they prepare to speak about the future of the holy city of Jerusalem. We pray that they may weigh their words carefully, with a view to helping to build a righteous and peaceable future for this city. Lord, in your mercy... hear our prayers. • We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. Lord, in your mercy... hear our prayers.