Sabeel Wave of Prayer
8th of
September 2022
Next week Kumi Now will focus on the
West Bank city of Bethlehem and how the Israeli occupation has ravaged its
economy. At the north end of Bethlehem lies Rachel’s Tomb, which is a site
sacred to Christians, Muslims and Jews alike. However in 2002 Israel annexed
the tomb, built high walls around it and prohibited Palestinians from visiting
the site. Thriving Palestinian businesses in the area have now all closed down.
•
Lord, we pray for Palestinians living in Bethlehem and
struggling to survive. They live in the shadow of the separation wall, their
lives are dominated by military checkpoints and they look out over vast,
illegal Israeli settlements on nearby hillsides. Lord, in your mercy..
Palestinian prisoner, Khalil Awawdeh,
has ended a hunger strike which lasted more than 170 days, after the Israeli
authorities agreed to his release in October. He is weak and frail and will
have to remain in hospital until he has recovered some strength. He began his
hunger strike after his arrest in December 2021 in protest at being held in
Israel without charge or trial, on ‘administrative detention’. On this charge
prisoners can be arrested on ‘secret evidence’ and cannot defend themselves in
court. They are often held for renewable six-month periods that can lead to
years of detention.
•
Lord, we pray that Khalil Awawdeh will recover strength
after his hunger strike. We pray for the
other Palestinian prisoners being held in Israel on administrative detention,
now 530 Palestinians, including women and children. Lord, in your mercy..
Last week the Beersheba District Court
ruled against the appeal for the early release of Ahmed Manasra on the grounds
of his deteriorating mental health. He was arrested at the age of 13 years in
horrifying circumstances, interrogated and sentenced to nine years in prison.
Despite his diagnosis of schizophrenia he has recently been kept in solitary
confinement for ten months.
•
Lord, we pray that international bodies, including the UN
and the EU will continue to press the Israeli government to grant the immediate
release of Ahmed Manasra on humanitarian grounds. Lord, in your mercy…
The UN Human Rights’ Commissioner,
Michelle Bachelot has deplored Israel’s refusal over the past two years to
grant visas for international staff to
return to the UN Human Rights’ Office. She reminded the Israeli authorities of
their obligations as a UN Member State to process UN visa applications as
speedily as possible. She stated, ‘Israel’s treatment of our staff is part of a
wider and worrying trend to block human rights’ access to the occupied
Palestinian territory. This raises the question of what exactly the Israeli
authorities are trying to hide.’
•
Lord, we lay before you our grave concerns over human
rights’ violations by Israeli forces in the occupied Palestinian territory. We
see more and more Palestinians being shot and killed by Israeli forces, at the
same time as the work of local and international human rights’ organisations is
being shut down and silenced by the Israeli authorities. Lord, in your mercy..
Sabeel, in partnership with Jussor
from Nablus, are organising a special event on Friday, the 9th of September.
The event will be an opportunity for the community of Nablus, including
Samaritans, Muslims and Christians to come together to show their gratitude and
respect for the devoted service of Father Ioustinos, who is recovering from a
recent attack by Palestinian criminals who broke into the Greek Orthodox
Jacob’s Well Church.
•
Lord, we pray that this special community event in Nablus
will lift the spirits of Father Ioustinos. We pray that the incident will be
thoroughly investigated by the Palestinian Authority and that the criminals
will be held to account. Lord, in your mercy..
More than 1.3 million Palestinian
schoolchildren living in the occupied territories are at risk as they start
back at school, according to the UN. Since the beginning of the year twenty
children have been killed in the West Bank, while seventeen children died in
Gaza during the Israeli offensive in July. Many schools are overcrowded and
6,400 children attend schools which have been targeted for demolition by the
Israeli authorities.
•
Lord, we pray for the safety of Palestinian children as
they return to school. So many of these children living under the Israeli
occupation witness scenes of violence and experience intimidation as they
travel to school. We pray for courage and perseverance for them as they
continue with their studies. Lord, in your mercy…
•
We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers
for the countries of Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Togo. Lord, in your mercy…
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