Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each week at 12:00 in Jerusalem Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Our hope is that in our respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with “Friends of Sabeel” worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and continuing on around the world we pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, 11th of December 2008

We pray for the quick cessation of violence around the world especially in Greece, where the confrontations between youth and police led to the shooting of a young boy. We also pray for the women in the conflict zone of eastern D.R. Congo who are helplessly subjected to extreme forms of violence carried out by rebel soldiers.

We pray for all Muslim communities around the world as they celebrate the Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, this week. We pray for the safety of those who celebrate in areas of conflict and tension.

We lift up the deplorable humanitarian situation in Gaza today due to the ongoing siege. We call upon churches around the world to join together in prayer for all the needy families, for the Christian community living in Gaza, and for organizations struggling to enter Gaza in order to distribute humanitarian aid.

As Christmas approaches, we pray that as Christians, our hearts will be awakened to the needs in our communities. May our prayers and financial contributions make a difference in people’s lives.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each week at 12:00 in Jerusalem Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Our hope is that in our respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with “Friends of Sabeel” worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and continuing on around the world we pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, 4th of December 2008

We pray for all the Christians in the Holy Land as Advent started this week in many Christian traditions. This year Sabeel’s advent program focuses On the “ Incarnation and Humanity ”. We pray that Advent will be a time of preparation through quiet reflection and prayer.


We pray for the families of over 150 people killed and more than 300 injured in the recent terrorist attack in Mumbai - India. We also pray that calm will quickly return in Nigeria after the current post-election violence between Christians and Muslims.


We pray for the international conference that will take place in Germany this week in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and where Sabeel will be represented. We pray that the conference will produce fruitful discussion, ideas and commitment to peace and justice in conflict areas around the world.


We pray for a just solution concerning the House of Contention in Hebron that Israeli settlers have invaded. We pray that the Israeli government will make the right decision to stop the forceful struggle of Israeli settlers to illegally occupy buildings and homes in the Hebron area and else where in the West Bank.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for THANKSGIVING DAY, Thursday, November 27, 2008

We thank God for a fruitful Sabeel Seventh International conference (November 12-19, 2008). As conference participants return home, we pray that they may have the courage and creativeness to testify about what they have witnessed and heard during their time here.

We pray for comfort for the Al Kurd family who was evicted from their home and has recently lost the head of the family, Mohammed Al Kurd. We pray that they will be able to leave the tent they are currently living in temporarily and to find a permanent home.

We pray for the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza due to Israel's illegal blockade. We pray for all the Palestinians and especially for children living in Gaza in the midst of poverty and unemployment, and lack of education, health services, and fuel.

We pray for everyone around the world who is traveling this week to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends. We also pray that, as Advent approaches, Christians around the world will remember the message of incarnation for all humanity.

Tea, Bread, Sheep and a Donkey

Members of Christian Peacemaker Teams in Palestine live and work alongside the people of Hebron and the South Hebron hills, trying to prevent abuse of Palestinian civilians by their non-violent presence and documenting abuses that do occur. Occasionally, CPT will report on abuse that happens to people they have come to know well. Their reports in recent days have highlighted some contrasts between days of normalcy and trauma for a shepherd named Kahlil in the South Hebron hills:

REFLECTION
At-Tuwani: Signs of Life - Grass, Tea, and Shepherds
By Sam Nichols

K. had kept his flock out an unusually long time this morning. The sheep and goats were probably happy because an inch of grass had grown in some places due to the recent rain. Yet, it was the first rain of the season so the grass remained just short enough that the sheep appeared to have a tough time eating it. It reminded me of eating a pomegranate. So much effort is exerted to get those little kernels out, and when you eventually get them out and eat them, it doesn't even put a dent in your hunger.

After hours of grazing, some of the goats found shade under rocks and some of the sheep found cozy spots in the dirt to lie down. K. tied up his donkey to a fence post and took some items out of the bag that hung off the donkey, a kind of homemade saddlebag.

K. then scoured the area for dried brush. Once he had a sufficient amount of brush, he searched for stones. Assembling the three stones in a triangle, he placed the brush in the center of the triangle. The next item that K. pulled out of his sack was the corner piece to this puzzle, the tea kettle. The rest of the process was fairly straightforward. Cistern water from a canteen was poured into the kettle, along with a healthy amount of sugar, and finally the tea leaves and sage. K. lit the brush and manicured it to keep the flame under the blackened kettle. Once the tea was ready, K. called Sean and me over. We had been accompanying K. and his flock this morning and he graciously insisted on sharing his lunch with us.

We feasted on hard-boiled eggs, freshly-picked olives, dried goat cheese, fresh bread, and tea to wash it down. Throughout the meal, K. insisted that we keep eating whenever our body language suggested that we might be done. This insistence is very common in Palestinian homes. Hosts will urge that you continue eating until you assure them several times that you are full. Offering a “humdulilah” (praise be to God), will usually bring an end to these playful negotiations.

This morning I saw a glimpse of what shepherding in the South Hebron Hills is supposed to be; it certainly seemed closer to normal than is often the case. Israeli settlers didn’t harass K. and his flock nor did Israeli soldiers chase K. off the land. In fact, as we sat to eat lunch in the cooling November air, it seemed that we momentarily forgot about the illegal outpost and the illegal settlement behind us. In doing so we had a moment of seeing beyond the challenges and obstacles facing K.’s family and their way of life. The occupation is often front and center for Palestinians that work this land, but today we enjoyed the cool air, the emerging grass, the fresh food, and the company of one another.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
At-Tuwani, Palestine
15 November, 2008

Israeli Settlers Attack Palestinian Shepherds, Kill Donkey, Injure Internationals.

Today, around 9:00am, around fifteen masked Israeli settlers from the illegal outpost of Havot Ma'on attacked three Palestinian shepherds who were grazing their flocks in a valley south of the outpost. The settlers came running down from a ridge above the shepherds, hurling rocks. During the incident, the settlers were able to apprehend two of the shepherds' donkeys. The settlers killed one donkey with a knife wound in the chest area. They slashed another across the throat, but the donkey survived. The shepherds were able to get their flocks away without being injured. The settlers hit two internationals from the Christian Peacemaker Teams with large rocks. One of the internationals sustained minor injuries. The internationals were accompanying the shepherds at the time of the attack.

The Israeli police were called four times before responding to the incident. They did not initially respond to reports of Palestinian shepherds and internationals being attacked by settlers, but only responded when made aware of the injured donkeys. The shepherds were very concerned about the incident, as it occurred on land they graze daily. Additionally concerning was the loss of a donkey which costs around 1000NIS, or $265. (The Israeli occupation has impoverished the shepherds of the area, and they are dependent on food aid)

The attack took place on land that the settlers hope to take in an effort to expand the settlement. There have been numerous attacks in the past against shepherds and schoolchildren in the area, including several incidents where Israeli settlers have shot at the shepherds.

At-Tuwani Reflection: Breaking Bread with Friends
Janet Benvie
18 November 2008

[Note: According to the Geneva Conventions, the International Court of Justice in the Hague, and numerous United Nations resolutions, all Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal. Most settlement outposts are considered illegal under Israeli law.]

“I am sorry Janet, I will not be able to offer you tea and bread.” Khalil told me. “The settlers killed my donkey and took everything in the bag”,

We were sitting on Khoruba Hill, where we often sit with Khalil, a young Palestinian shepherd. Most days we accompany him as he makes his way over the hills with his flock and his donkey. The route from his home to Khoruba passes within sight of the illegal Israeli settler outpost of Havot Ma’on.. Each day he leads his sheep on paths where his father and grandfather walked, on land coveted by the settlers. As he leads his sheep he attentively watches for Israeli settlers or soldiers who regularly chase him off the land.

By mid morning, Khalil and his flock usually reach Khoruba. He will have left home around 6:00 am, so, by 11:00 am he is ready for lunch. The sheep, tired from their journey over the hills, mill around in small groups, many of them lie down in the warmth of the winter’s mid-day sun. Khalil gathers sticks for a fire and urges us to sit down, “Tfaddil” (‘please’ in Arabic) he says, indicating a place for us to sit. He makes a pot of traditional sweet Palestinian tea, and insists we share in his lunch of home made bread, olives and potato slices.

Today we were not, as usual, drinking tea and watching the sheep graze quietly. Today masked Israeli settlers chased Khalil and his flock, hurling rocks and yelling threats. Khalil was able to run to a place of safety with his flock, but watched helplessly as the settlers led his donkey away. The donkey was later found dead (stabbed in the chest) at the bottom of Khoruba Valley.

Khalil means 'friend' in Arabic. There is a sense of 'communion' sitting on the hillside sharing tea and breaking bread together with friends. In the midst of the brutal, senseless violence of the settlers our friend's thoughts turned to us, “I am sorry Janet, I will not be able to offer you tea and bread.”

Reflections reprinted with permission from Christian Peacemaker Teams. Photos and film of the settler attack are available.

Cross-posted at Booman Tribune, Daily Kos and Street Prophets

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each week at 12:00 in Jerusalem Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Our hope is that in our respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with “Friends of Sabeel” worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and continuing on around the world we pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, 20 November, 2008

We pray for all the participants who will be returning home this week after the seventh Sabeel international conference. We pray for their safety as they travel back to their home countries, and we also pray that they will have the courage to speak about what they have witnessed , and will act upon their convictions.

We pray for the Palestinian refugees of 1948 and their families who cannot return back to their homes and to Palestine. We especially offer up prayers for the Palestinian families who become refugees still today, such as the Al Kurd family who has recently lost their home due to a house eviction order from the Israeli government.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each week at 12:00 in Jerusalem Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Our hope is that in our respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with “Friends of Sabeel” worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and continuing on around the world we pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, 13 November, 2008

We pray for all the international and local participants attending the Sabeel Conference. We pray that it will be a time for prayer, worship, and strengthening of their commitment to peace and justice.

We pray for the Palestinian refugees of 1948 and their families who cannot return back to their homes and to Palestine. We especially offer up prayers for the Palestinian families who become refugees still today, such as the Al Kurd family who has recently lost their home due to a house eviction order from the Israeli government.

We pray for Barack Obama as he prepares to enter into office next January. We pray that he will have wisdom and strength to strive for the changes needed in the U.S. and in the world.

We pray for the International Friends of Sabeel coordinators and members who are meeting this week before the conference. We pray for the follow-up events that IFOS is envisioning in order to revitalize Sabeel chapters around the world.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, November 6, 2008

We pray for some 250,000 people in eastern D.R. Congo who have been displaced by fighting in rebel-held territories. We pray for the international community to act responsibly in bringing humanitarian relief and initiating peacekeeping efforts that will pacify the war-torn region.

We pray for the Palestinian families in the West Bank and the Bedouin families in Southern Israel that have become recently homeless due to an increase of demolition of homes by the Israeli army. We especially pray for the children who are traumatized by this experience of losing their homes especially as it gets closer to winter.

We pray for the conference sponsored by Friends of Sabeel-Scandinavia that will be held this week in Stavanger, Norway. We pray that it will be a fruitful time of gathering and learning for the participants.

As the final week of preparation for the Sabeel international conference ends, we pray for the creation of a conference that shares both information and hopes with people from around the world and locally. We thank God for all of the staff and international and local volunteers who are helping out during the conference and we pray for the safety for participants as they travel.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, October 23, 2008

We pray for the meetings held between state leaders and international organizations to discuss the global financial crisis. As they make their decisions, we pray that they remember the needs of ordinary people who are the most affected by the crisis.

This week, we continue to raise in prayer both local and international volunteers participating in the Olive Harvest and their safety. We pray that Palestinian farmers and their families who are suffering from continuous settler violence and uprooting of olive trees may have a peaceful harvest.

We pray for the numerous pilgrimage groups coming to Jerusalem who take the time out of their Holy Land trips to participate in alternative tours - either the Contemporary Way of the Cross or other opportunities and make an effort to see and hear what is happening in Jerusalem and the OccupiedPalestinianTerritories.

We pray for all Sabeel staff and volunteers in Jerusalem and Nazareth planning the seventh international conference. As the conference dates quickly approach, we pray that all will be united in a spirit of love, encouragement, and commitment to the work of justice.

"May we no longer be silent"

Reprinted by Permission from Friends of Sabeel

The Episcopal Bishop of Washington DC, The Rt. Rev. John Bryson Chane, delivered a powerful sermon Sunday, October 5, at St. Columba Church, the largest Episcopal church in DC, on the topic of his recent trip to Palestine/Israel.

Karen and I recently returned from a 10 day journey to Palestine, Jordan and Israel. This trip was not your usual pilgrimage to the Holy Land but rather an opportunity to spend time with the new Episcopal Bishop of Jerusalem, Bishop Suheil Duwani whose diocese has jurisdiction in Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Syria and Palestine. Some of you may have spent time visiting sites in the Holy Land but I can assure you that what I saw, heard and experienced has brought me to a place where I can no longer sit back and assume that in time all will be well in that troubled part of the world.

Looking backwards for a moment to 2003, Jim Wallis of Sojourners and I, along with two Anglican Primates, five Church of England bishops and leaders from four mainline US Christian denominations met with Prime Minister Tony Blair at #10 Downing Street urging him not to support the United States effort to undertake a pre-emptive military strike against Iraq. We urged patience, the use of soft power and the further support of high level diplomatic talks. We were not successful. But the Prime Minister begged us to return to the United States and urge President Bush to aggressively move forward with leadership in engaging the Road Map for Peace, an effort to solve the Israeli Palestinian conflict. All of us agreed that without solving this conflict, the Middle East would forever be a seething caldron of war, discontent and would also be a breeding ground for the growing forces of indiscriminant, global terrorism. Upon our return to the US, the President refused to meet with this broad, representative religious community to discuss the Road Map and the rest is a history that we are living with today.

We as a nation pride ourselves on being a great democracy, a "city built on a hill." And we generally focus on several key ingredients that define a democracy; living by the rule of law, respecting and upholding human rights, and the freedom to worship as one chooses. My trip to the Diocese of Jerusalem and the current condition of Palestinian Christians in particular makes me deeply concerned about the universal understanding of basic democratic principles that our nation holds as sacred and that we as a democracy should hold Israel accountable to as our trusted, democratic ally in the Middle East.

The West Bank, as occupied Palestinian territory continues to experience the illegal building of Israeli settler housing. Almost 1000 new units are being built in Maale Adumim. In Givat Zeev which is a settlement that rings Jerusalem, a new 750 unit building project has been approved. Requests are on the table with the Israeli government to build 350 new homes in Beitar Illit very near Jerusalem. Literally hundreds of new homes are being added to already existing settlements in the West Bank; all illegal, all on occupied, Palestinian land, and all built while the Israeli Government casts a blind eye. These settler houses are visible by their handsome construction, their stout, red tiled roofs, their manicured lawns and their suburban feel that resembles a California housing sprawl. Driving between Jerusalem and Jericho, huge apartment complexes can be seen, rising high on a hill in occupied Palestinian land; again a painful reminder of broken promises. These settler houses and apartment buildings, constructed by Israel on occupied land are a violation of international law. The 1907 Hague Convention clearly states that; an occupying power may expropriate land only for the public use of the occupied population. Taking West Bank land indiscriminately as Israel has done is a clear violation of international law. I ask the question; "is this the behavior of a democracy that lives by and cherishes the rule of law?"

Karen and I visited the land owned by Daoud Nassar and his family; over 100 acres that have been in his family since 1916 when purchased by deed from the Ottoman Empire. The Nassar family has legal right and claim to the property located about 6 miles southeast of Bethlehem in Palestinian occupied territory. It is now in the middle of an area that in 1991 was declared by the Israeli Government as State Property. A large illegal Israeli settlement less than 1000 yards away has emboldened Israeli settlers to come onto the Nassar's property brandishing rifles and shotguns, firing them and threatening the owners with death if they do not move out. Settler bulldozers have plowed a road through a portion of the Nassar's olive grove, and have blocked the only road entrance to their house and property with huge boulders. And with the support from the Israeli authorities the settlers have prevented the Nassars from being able to drill wells for water, or connect to available electricity. The settlers say the land is theirs because God gave it to them, and not to the Palestinians. Known as The Tent of Nations, the Nassar's small farm is a now a center where pilgrims gather to support the Nassar family in their quest to end Israeli harassment and the daily threat of a land grab. Having spent an afternoon at the Tent of Nations and hearing the story of abuse and constant harassment over property that is legally owned and deeded, I ask the question; "is this the behavior of a democracy that lives by and cherishes the rule of law?"

While visiting Gaza, on an Israeli permit issued to the Bishop of Jerusalem, I was exposed to a Palestinian territory cordoned off like a prison for those who live there. I have visited many countries in Africa and Latin America steeped in poverty. Gaza is equal to them all. Donkey carts now are beginning to outnumber motor vehicles, as gasoline and diesel fuel is rationed by the Israeli's through the Hammas government to ten liters by permit every two weeks. Our Episcopal Hospital in Gaza is short of medicines because of Israeli prohibitions, and the hospital can only operate on electricity for 8 hours a day because of shortages. I celebrated the Eucharist in a church next to the hospital that still has a gaping hole in the roof left by an Israeli rocket that exploded in front of the altar and left the interior strewn with lathing and plaster. In my protest to the Israeli embassy I was informed it was an unfortunate accident of war. There would be no compensation for damages. The hospital administrator informed me that last year 8 patients from the hospital waiting to cross from Hammas controlled Gaza into Israel for emergency medical care died while waiting hours for clearance from Israeli immigration to cross the border for treatment. I ask the question; "is this the behavior of a democracy that lives by upholding and cherishing human rights?"

If you are a non Jerusalemite Palestinian Christian wishing to enter into East Jerusalem for religious worship or pilgrimage you must have a permit and those permits are difficult to get. Because of prohibitions against Muslims as well to visit the TempleDome of the Rock and Al Aksa Mosque, three million Christians and Muslim Palestinians are being denied rightful access to their holy sites in Jerusalem even during religious high holidays. Because of restrictions and the obscenity of the building of the wall, Bethlehem has become a ghost town, with shops and businesses shuttering their doors and with religious pilgrims from other countries the majority of those who walk the streets and eat in the restaurants. I ask the question; "is this the behavior of a democracy that lives by protecting and upholding religious freedom and the right to worship as one pleases?"

I am appalled that the Palestinian Political movements of Fata and Hammas play off against each other at the expense of Palestinians and their welfare. And their power struggle to control so much of so little is short sighted and certainly not the way to raise up and strengthen Palestinian political leadership in order for Palestine to be an active player in negotiating a fair, two state peace settlement with Israel. The fracturing of Palestinian political leadership and the failure of the United States to work with Israel in brokering a two state solution, claiming Jerusalem as a shared holy city for Jews, Christians and Muslims and supporting land swaps for the Palestinians in places where illegal settlers have moved is a moral failure of the human heart and will.

Jews, Christians and Muslims have the moral obligation to denounce violence as a solution to any and all disputes between Israel and Palestine. No one has the right to take the life of another in the name of God, and no one has the right to take another persons land in the name of God. Palestine must have the right to be established as an independent state that is in possession of territory that is contiguous with Israel. And Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state contiguous with Palestine. Israel must return to the 1967 land borders established by the United Nations with appropriate compensational territory granted to Palestine for land not returned to Palestine in the peace agreement for reasons acceptable to both parties. The holy city of Jerusalem must be a shared holy city for Jews, Christians and Muslims. Anything less violates the ancient traditions of these three Abrahamic faiths and violates their histories as contained in their holy books.

Politicians seeking the highest office in the land who wait on the results of the November 4th Presidential election must have the courage to not just speak out in their unequivocal support of Israel but must also speak out and condemn violations of human rights and religious freedom denied to Palestinian Christians and Muslims.

I support with conviction the right of Israel to exist as a free state, unencumbered by indiscriminant violence and the threat of attack engendered by those who would wish to do her harm. But I am appalled that there has been little or no discussion by politicians seeking the highest office in the land about the devastation of the Palestinian economy as a result of the construction of the security Wall by the Israeli government. I am as a Christian unwilling to remain silent as Palestinians are humiliated, their human rights are violated, their lands taken from them and are too often forced to immigrate to other countries because they feel that they and their children have no future in their ancient homeland. For faithful Jews, Christians and Muslims and our politicians not to speak out on these unacceptable conditions is to find them guilty--guilty of the greatest crime of all--the crime of silence!

There is contained in the Gospel lesson for this morning an ominous reflection. The parabolic teaching of Jesus about the landowner and the vineyard contains not only a message about the stone that the builders rejected but calls us all to remember the following; Matthew 21:43-44. "Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the Kingdom. The one who falls on the stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls."

The Right Reverend John Bryson Chane D.D.
Bishop of Washington
October 5, 2008

Click here to listen to his sermon online.
(This is an online audio that may take a few minutes to load.)

Cross-posted at Booman Tribune and Street Prophets

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, October 16, 2008

We pray for the war victims suffering from the Philippine government's decades long confrontation with Muslim separatists in Mindanao. We pray for the safety of peace actors working in Mindanao and for an enduring peace settlement among warring parties.

In light of riots and violence that broke out in the northern city of Akko during the Jewish holidays, we pray that tensions between Israeli Palestinian and Jewish residents subsides. We pray for all victims whose homes were torched, and whose family members were arrested and injured.

We pray for the Sabeel clergy retreat that will be held in the West Bank from October 19th to the 21st. We pray for all clergy members and spouses participating in this retreat, so that it may be a useful time for reflection, sharing, and prayer for local churches.

We pray for the preparations for the Sabeel international conference on the Nakba that will be held in less than one month. We pray for all international and local participants attending the conference so that they will be encouraged to work for justice and peace in this land.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, October 9, 2008

We pray for the serious humanitarian situation in Somalia and the 3.2 million Somalis in urban and rural areas facing extreme poverty due to drought and high food prices. We pray for the Somali government and international agencies to respond adequately with a sustainable plan for humanitarian assistance.

We pray for the talks held in Cairo this week between the Hamas delegation and Egyptian officials towards ending the Hamas-Fatah power struggle. We pray that this meeting will serve as a significant step towards Palestinian national reconciliation.

We pray for the olive harvest that begins this week and continues through November. In light of assaults in previous years on Palestinian farmers, we pray for the protection of all Palestinians and international volunteers who will be participating in the harvest.

We pray for the meetings held this week in Netherlands organized by Pax Christi, between the delegation of Palestinian leaders and political and church leaders in Netherlands. We pray for the meetings to be a fruitful opportunity to garner religious and political support for ending the occupation.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, October 2, 2008

We pray for the victims killed in recent bombing attacks in Syria and Baghdad. We also pray for Taiwan as it has suffered four typhoons this year including the typhoon Jangmi this week. We pray for all the victims and their families, that they may be comforted and strengthened during these difficult times.

As Ramadan comes to an end this week, Eid al Fitr begins, and the Jewish High Holidays occur (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), we pray for the good holidays and safety of all people in the region. We pray that Palestinians will have the opportunity to celebrate with their families rather than checkpoint closures, soldier aggression and settler violence, and imposition of curfews.

We pray for the few members of Christian Peacemaker Teams working in Hebron and the village of at-Tuwani in the face of increasing settler violence. We pray for their physical safety and courage to get in the way of injustice and violence.

We pray for this month's Study Circle that will take place at Sabeel on the position of Palestinian refugees in international law. We pray that it will be a time of insightful discussion and learning for all who participate.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, September 25, 2008

We pray for the political situation in Israel. As the Israeli government is in the process of transitioning its political leadership, we pray for the establishment of a new government that has the courage to make lasting peace that is based on justice.

As tensions between Fatah and Hamas have recently aggravated military clashes in Gaza, we pray for the current negotiations taking place between them. We pray that Fatah and Hamas will walk the path of reconciliation and agree upon a political agenda to work for the common interests of all Palestinians.

We pray for the weekly youth bible study at Sabeel. We raise up the youth and their commitment to studying their faith and deepening their understanding of the biblical texts.

We pray for the Sabeel conference "Peace, Palestine and U.S. Policy" that will take place this week in Detroit, Michigan. We pray for our Friends of Sabeel-North America who are attending the conference so that this will be a time of rekindled commitment to advocacy and just peace for Palestine.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, September 18, 2008

We pray for all the communities hit by Hurricane Ike. We pray for national governments, relief organizations and churches, that they are able to respond quickly to the sufferings and needs of all.

We pray for the physical safety of Palestinians living in areas near Israeli settlements, especially in Hebron and the surrounding areas. As settler behavior against Palestinians is becoming more and more violent on the weekends and during the upcoming olive harvest, we pray for the restoration of the rule of law and for the Israeli government to take appropriate actions to stop settler violence.

We pray for the annual Sabeel clergy trip that this year will go to Qumran and Jericho. We pray their time together as an ecumenical group will have opportunities for educational and spiritual growth.
We pray that it will also be a time to share the needs of local churches and communities, and find solidarity in each others work.

We continue to pray for the IFOS chapters around the world who are working to send representatives to the Sabeel International Conference on the Nakba in November.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, September 11, 2008

We pray for the government of Israel. As the elections come close for new leadership, we pray for a leader who is committed to working for peace for all peoples in the land -- both in Palestine and Israel.

We pray for the Muslim community in Palestine, Israel, and around the world, during the fasting month of Ramadan. We especially pray for the safety of the local community on Fridays as security measures and aggressiveness of Israeli soldiers intensify while people try and access the Haram ash-Sharif.

We pray for the local community building program this weekend who will be attending the festival of the ascension of the cross. We pray for spiritual renewal and strengthening of relationships among them.

We pray for the international theological consultation on Israel/Palestine that will be held this week in Bern, Switzerland by the World Council of Churches. We pray for member churches to commit themselves to responding ecumenically and ethically to the situation in Palestine and Israel.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, September 4, 2008

We pray for the millions of people affected by flooding in India, and those in the Caribbean and southern United States who are in the path of Hurricane Gustav. We pray for justice in the face of the structural poverty and racial division that is exposed by these natural disasters

We pray for the Muslim community in Palestine, Israel, and around the world, as they enter into the fasting month of Ramadan. May this be a time of spiritual renewal and an opportunity to strengthen ties between families and friends.

We celebrate all of the many visitors to Sabeel this week and pray that their work for justice and peace will be fruitful.

We raise up the delegation from Friends of Sabeel Netherlands who arrive this week. We pray that their visit will be a meaningful journey encouraging them to become effective advocates for justice and peace.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, August 28, 2008

We pray for all of those who are suffering as a result of Tropical Storm Fay, which hit the Caribbean and Florida this past week. We pray for those whose homes have been destroyed, those who have lost family and loved ones, and for all of those who are working to respond to this natural disaster.

We thank God for the success of attempts to break the blockade of Gaza. Two boats, the SS Free Gaza and the SS Liberty, crewed by international, Israeli, and Palestinian human rights activists, landed in Gaza on Saturday evening. We are grateful for the courage exhibited by the participants in this nonviolent action against the siege of Gaza, and pray for ongoing efforts to end collective punishment and bring peace and justice to the people Gaza.

We pray for the launch of Sabeel board member Jean Zaru's new book, Occupied With Nonviolence, which will take place Friday, August 29 at the Friends International Center in Ramallah. We thank God for Jean's persistent determination to speak the truth to power, whether it means speaking out against human rights violations or patriarchal structures.

We pray for the planning of Sabeel's Seventh International Conference, which will take place from November 12-19 in Nazareth, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem. We pray for the ongoing preparations for the conference, entitled "The Nakba: Memory, Reality, and Beyond," that we may educate and motivate the local and international community to act for justice and peace.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, August 21, 2008

We continue to pray for the people of Georgia and the governments of Georgia and Russia as Russian troops still have not pulled out. We pray that the situation can be brought to a swift and peaceful end. We pray for all those who have been injured or killed in the fighting and we pray for all illegal occupations to end.

We pray for prisoners. We celebrate the release by Israel of Palestinian prisoners this past week, but are concerned that this release was used as a political move by Israel to grant credibility to the Fatah government and undermine the Hamas government. We continue to pray for reconciliation among Palestinian factions and for the release of all prisoners.

We thank God for the ongoing success and distribution of our Sabeel newsletter in Arabic, which is circulated among our local program participants.

We pray for the continuing planning process for our Young Friends of Sabeel outreach. We hope that this network of young friends will be beneficial for education, advocacy, and outreach efforts around the globe on behalf of the Palestinian Christian community and to promote a just peace for Palestinians and Israelis.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, August 14, 2008

We pray for peace between Russia and Georgia. We mourn those who have died in this violence and pray for comfort for their families.

We pray for the small boy who died this week due to lack of permission to leave Gaza for medical treatment, moving this number to over one hundred who have died during this last year. We pray that efforts like the Free Gaza Boat will raise international consciousness about this deteriorating situation.

We give thanks for Sabeel's Open Forum this week that tackles the challenging subject of what a future Palestinian state would look like. We pray that participants will be inspired after the conversation to work for their vision of a just resolution to the conflict.

We give thanks for the work of Les Amis de Sabeel and their commitment to translating the work of Sabeel in French so that more people around the world are able to read, understand and act.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each week at 12:00 in Jerusalem Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Our hope is that in our respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with “Friends of Sabeel” worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and continuing on around the world we pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, August 07, 2008

We pray for Gaza. We mourn the recent infighting between Hamas and Fatah factions and pray for the families of those hurt and killed. We pray for residents of Gaza who are denied entry into Israel for medical treatment, many of whom are being pressured into becoming informants in exchange for necessary treatment. We pray for God’s help in bringing justice and peace to the people of Gaza.

We pray for all those affected by the severe drought in the region, especially rural villages in the West Bank who face these hot summer days without adequate water. We pray that the Israeli government treat all of the people in this land, citizens and occupied, with an equitable distribution of water .

We pray for the local and international participants in Sabeel’s young adult conference as they travel to their respective homes. We thank God for their enthusiastic participation, and pray for their courage to share the stories and to advocate for a just solution to the conflict.

We thank God for the hundreds of "peace" squares that have been sent to Sabeel through our Friends of Sabeel Netherlands chapter for our Peace Tapestry. We are in awe of the diversity of visions of peace offered by our friends, both locally and internationally.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each week at 12:00 in Jerusalem Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Our hope is that in our respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with “Friends of Sabeel” worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and continuing on around the world we pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.


Wave of Prayer for Thursday, July 31, 2008

We pray for comfort for the Palestinian families in Jerusalem facing home demolitions and evictions this summer. The increased activity of settlement growth and house demolitions have left many in the fragile Jerusalem community worn down by the constant stress. We celebrate the house that was rebuilt this week by the Israeli Coalition Against House Demolition's summer "Re-building Camp" and thank God for people willing to take a stand against injustice.

We thank God for the ruling of the Israeli Supreme Court which declared the injustice of the construction of the Wall on the land of the village of Jayyous. The decision that route of the Wall must be changed is a tribute to the nonviolent resistance to the Wall of the people of Jayyous and we pray that the decision will be implemented immediately

We pray for the growth and learning of the youth participating in the Sabeel Young Adult Conference during this week. We are grateful for this opportunity for Palestinian and interational young people to worship, pray and study together about what makes for a just peace.

We pray that general meeting of Friends of Sabeel North America taking place this weekend bears fruit for all who attend and inspires them in their important work.

Israeli Settlers Pursue Palestinian School Children

Palestinian Children encounter many obstacles to their education: harrassment and violence from settlers, impediments, such as roadblocks and checkpoints and in some cases, damage or closure of their schools. Accompanying children to school has been one of Christian Peacemaker Teams' violence reduction programs for many years in the West Bank.

A few incidents four years ago convinced the Israeli Knesset that children near At-Tuwani needed an escort from Israeli soldiers to protect them from settler violence:

In 2004, two CPT members, Kim Lamberty and Chris Brown in At-Tuwani were severely injured when settlers attacked them as they were walking children to school.[17] A few days later, the team, along with Operation Dove and Amnesty International members were again attacked. In response to these attacks, the Israeli Knesset Committee for Children's Rights initiated an order to have soldiers escort the Palestinian children to school in At-Tuwani

The children continue to risk injury from settlers when their military escort is late or fails to appear.

RELEASE:
Israeli Settlers Pursue Palestinian Children on Their Way to
Summer Camp; Israeli Military Fails to Escort Children

24 July 2008

AT-TUWANI – On Wednesday 23 July, three Israeli settlers, one masked and wielding a stick, pursued 14 Palestinian children who were on their way to a summer camp in At-Tuwani. The children from the villages of Tuba and Maghaer Al-Abeed waited 30 minutes for the Israeli military escort that should have accompanied them on the most direct road between the villages of Tuba and At-Tuwani. When the military failed to arrive, the children began walking along a long path through the hills to At-Tuwani. When the children neared the illegal Israeli settlement outpost of Havot Ma'on, three settlers came out from the outpost and began walking in the direction of the children. The settlers had two dogs with them.

International observers yelled to the children to alert them to the approaching settlers, who were pursuing them from behind. The children ran down and across a valley to a location further from the settlers. They continued to At-Tuwani. The settlers remained on a hill top near Havot Ma’on, watching the children as they walked toward the schoool.

The previous day, Tuesday 22 July, the military escort never arrived to escort the children to summer camp. Seven children took a long path to the school. They told international observers that at least eight other children did not attend summer camp because they were too afraid to come to school without an escort. The mayor of At-Tuwani spoke with Israeli military to coordinate the escort for the children. However, several military spokespersons and soldiers on the ground denied being ordered to escort the children.

In 2004 the Israeli Knesset recommended that the Israeli military carry out a daily escort of the children of Tuba and Maghaer Al-Abeed to their school in At-Tuwani in response to settler violence against them. In 2006 Israeli Minister of Defense stated that the illegal outpost of Havot Ma’on should be dismantled because of the settlers’ violence towards school children. During the 2007-2008 school year, settlers used violence against these children on at least 14 occasions.

Reprinted with Permission from Christian Peacemaker Teams

Cross-Posted at Booman Tribune and Street Prophets

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, July 24, 2008

We pray for the visits of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and U.S. presidential candidate Barak Obama to Palestine and Israel this week. We hope that these visits will open the eyes of these leaders to the imbalance of power that continues to breed violence in this region, that in the end they will commit themselves to the things that make for peace-justice, truth, and liberation.

We pray for Palestinian students around the West Bank and Gaza who have scholarships to study abroad but are having trouble leaving the country due to visa problems. We pray that the Israeli government will allow these students to continue their studies and achieve their human potential.


We pray for Sabeel's Third Young Adult Conference, which begins Thursday, July 24 and focuses on the 60 years since the Nakba of 1948. We pray for all the international and local young adults who will participate, that they will grow in community and that they will gain a greater understanding of the history, present reality, and prospects for change in Palestine and Israel.

We celebrate the opening of the Sabeel photo exhibit at the YWCA Jerusalem this week. We thank God for the commitment of Canadian Friends of Sabeel in updating the photo exhibit, and hope that this exhibit will be a powerful witness to the memory of the Nakba and the story of the Palestinians.

Drought in South Hebron Hills worsened by Israeli occupation

The West Bank is facing a severe drought this summer, made even worse by the long-standing control and abuse of water-resources by the Israeli Government. According to B'tselem:

The 2008 drought, the most serious drought in the area in the past decade, aggravates the built-in, constant shortage of water in the West Bank. Rainfall this year in the northern West Bank was 64 percent of average, while in the southern sections of the West Bank, it was 55 percent. As a result, the water stored from rainfall has already been used. The Palestinian Water Authority estimates this year’s water shortage in the West Bank at 42 to 69 million cubic meters. The total water consumption in the West Bank is 79 mcm. The PWA has already requested Mekorot – the Israel Water Company – for an emergency supply of eight mcm.
...
Israel holds complete control of the water sources shared by Israel and the Palestinians, primarily the Mountain Aquifer, and prohibits by army order any Palestinian drilling of wells without a permit. At the same time, Israel draws from the West Bank, primarily from the Jordan Valley, some 44 mcm, five million more than it supplies to the Palestinian Authority. Israel allocates to Palestinians only 20 percent of the water from the Mountain Aquifer, and prevents the PWA to develop additional water sources to enable greater water supply for Palestinians in the West Bank.

Israel’s obligations under international law

As the occupying power, Israel is required under international humanitarian law to ensure public order and safety in the occupied territory, without discrimination. In addition, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which Israel ratified, ensures access to clean drinking water without discrimination. International human rights law also ensures the Palestinians’ right to utilize and enjoy freely their natural resources.

A recent release from CPT shows the various ways that the Israeli occupation exacerbates the drought conditions in the everyday lives of rural Palestinians:

23 July, 2008

At-Tuwani and neighboring villages are in the worst drought-affected area of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT): only 13% of the expected rainfall came in the Hebron area in the winter of 2007-08. Lower than required levels collected in local wells and cisterns. At-Tuwani villagers told Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) that there is only around one week's supply of water left in the village.

Drought-related problems are made worse by the Israeli military roadblocks (see Releases: 27 June & 5 July 2008), that restrict access to the nearest Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) filling point. However, the capacity of the PWA is insufficient to meet local needs. The Oslo II Peace Agreement of 1995 called for "the equitable utilization of joint water resources": this has never happened. Israeli human rights group, B'Tselem reports that the per capita consumption of water of Palestinians in the West Bank is 66 liters, whereas the average daily water consumption in Israeli cities is 235 liters.

A few families in At-Tuwani have purchased water, but the Israeli military roadblocks mean that water tankers have to take longer routes, thus raising the price. NGOs who recently brought water to the area told CPT that it cost 35-40 NIS per m3 (1m3 = 1000 liters), three to six times higher than Israeli households pay. The World Health Organization estimates that the average, minimum daily water need per person is 60 liters. In addition, the villagers must provide water for their flocks, and a sheep requires a minimum of 5-7 liters of water per day.

Access to grazing land near At-Tuwani is limited by Israeli settlers from illegal settlements and outposts. The settlers steal and build on grazing land and attack and harass Palestinian herders. The low winter rainfall adversely affected the growth of the natural vegetation, and the planted crops, like barley and wheat, produced a very low harvest. The Palestinians, therefore, are forced to buy additional fodder for their animals: in the past 12 months fodder prices have tripled, while the market price for a sheep has nearly halved.

Palestinian access to grazing land is relentlessly restricted by the Israeli occupation. Since the occupation began in 1967, 21 percent of West Bank grazing land has been declared Israeli military zones and another 8 percent deemed nature reserves.

Palestinians, with support from a Spanish NGO, are building a new cistern in At-Tuwani to supply water to villages in the area in future years. The Israeli military issued a 'stop work order' (the first step in the demolition process) on 26 June, 2008. Representatives from the village met with the Israeli military authorities last week requesting that this order be rescinded. They have told CPT that they will appeal to the Israeli High Court if necessary.

CPT continues to accompany Palestinian herders as they graze on their traditional lands and resist Israeli army and settler harassment. Local and international NGOs are working to meet the humanitarian needs in the area by supplying water and fodder.

The UN's projections for the long-term effects of this year's drought on herding among Palestinians are severe:

The drought has had the most serious impact on the herd-dependent communities in the southern and south-eastern Hebron Governorate, the arid slopes east of Bethlehem and Jerusalem, and the Jordan Valley (no less than 2500 households).

Families in these communities, and to a lesser extent herders everywhere in the West Bank, face deepening poverty and food insecurity, they are heavily in debt and therefore are under increasing pressure to sell their livestock Most herders report that even if they sold all their sheep at current prices they would not be able to clear their debts. Selling up would also mean they would have no source of future income. Prices for good quality barley fodder are at record high levels and cheaper alternative types of feed cause animal malnutrition resulting in a variety of health problems including high abortion and young lamb mortality rates. In addition to fodder, sheep need plentiful water and as the drought continues extra water must be bought.
...
Unless there is immediate support to herders with subsidized feed and water, many will be forced out of herding and the livelihood system that has supported them for centuries will be lost. They will no longer use traditional grazing lands and thus risk loosing access to them. ...
If herding as an option is not maintained, the majority of herding families will join the long aid lists. Given the limited skill range of most of the herders, the high levels of unemployment and general economic recession, the likelihood of such families returning to economic independence in the fore-seeable future is slight.

Report from Christian Peacemaker Teams Reprinted with Permission

Cross-Posted at Booman Tribune and Street Prophets

Summer Days in the South Hebron Hills

Reprinted with Permission from Christian Peacemaker Teams

AT-TUWANI REFLECTION:
Summer Days in the South Hebron Hills
by Jessica Frederick

What are summer days like here in the South Hebron Hills? It depends.

On a good day, we sit with Palestinian shepherds as they nonviolently resist Israeli settlers, who have tried to violently seize land. The Palestinians graze sheep on lands where Israeli settlers have attacked, stoned, shot at, and threatened Palestinian shepherds. We sit, listen to the shepherds tell us stories of life on the land before the Israeli occupation. We laugh together, and the shepherds teach us how to flick tiny pebbles between our two index fingers.

On a bad day, the Israeli military builds a roadblock on the main road to Yatta, the nearest city in the area – a crucial road for medical services, education, and water aid in a year of severe drought.

On a good day, the Palestinian villagers work together to remove the roadblock.

On a bad day, Israeli settlers, sometimes masked, come to land where Palestinian shepherds are grazing, and they throw stones, or attack and hospitalize, the shepherds.

On a good day, we join Palestinian children as they graze their sheep – and then the children climb up fig trees and throw to us their delicious fruit. We join their family for a fabulous lunch of bread, eggs, and olive oil, followed by juicy slices of watermelon. And we laugh and joke and have lessons in Arabic, English, and Italian.

On a bad day, the Israeli military issues demolition orders on five homes in the area, and the village cistern in At-Tuwani.

On a good day, we sit and talk late into the night with our Palestinian friends, laughing with the funniest women in At-Tuwani, and listening to ways in which the village is organizing its nonviolent resistance.

These days blur together – they are often sweet and bitter simultaneously. Yet, on good days – I renew my belief that children and stories, love and watermelon, courage and nonviolence, will eventually triumph over military and propaganda, hate and weapons, cowardice and violence. On good days, I am amazed and inspired by the strength and devotion to nonviolent resistance of the Palestinian villagers here in the South Hebron Hills.

And, on good days, I know that, no matter what happens, the Palestinian people are more powerful than the Israeli occupation.

And these good days are every day.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, July 17, 2008

As news of corruption scandals in the Israeli government dominate the local news, we pray for all those in public office who are tempted by power and corruption. We pray for all those without access to power for whom such news might lead to a lack of trust in the political process and in the hope for a peace brokered by governments.

We pray for the Syrian Orthodox community as the Sabeel young people witness with various members of the community this weekend in commemoration of their genocide of 1914.

We thank God for the continuing ministry of Sabeel's Open Forum, a space where people can share in discussion the pressing questions that face the Christian community. We reflect on the meeting this Tuesday where the local community gathered to share and strategize on the problems in Jerusalem with increasing settlement growth inside East Jerusalem.

We celebrate the peace tapestry project initiated by Friends of Sabeel Netherlands. As we begin to gather the pieces together, we are in awe of the multiple visions of peace that the International Friends of Sabeel have collected.

The Whole World Watching? CUT!!!: Blocking Journalists and Filmmakers from Palestine

A couple of recent petitions highlight the means by which the Government of Israel is impeding the outside world from seeing the realities inside the Palestinian Occupied Territories. In recent months, GOI has denied access to some international filmmakers from filming or showing films in the West Bank. In addition, the treatment by Shin Bet and the IDF of an award-winning journalist upon his return to the Occupied Territories has highlighted many other abuses suffered by journalists in recent years.

Since 2000, GOI has intensified its policy of excluding Palestinians who have left the Occupied Territories, even for short periods of time, from returning to their houses and homeland, a practice that Right To Enter calls "Silent Transfer":

Israel has recently intensified its practices regarding restriction of entry or re-entry to the oPt with respect to residents of and visitors to the OPT (Gaza Strip and West Bank) who do not hold a Palestinian ID issued by the Israeli Ministry of Interior. A Palestinian ID is a personal identification document issued by Israel for Palestinian residents and their children.

Israel is now systematically denying entry or return to the oPt via the international Israeli borders at Ben Gurion Airport, Allenby Bridge, Sheikh Hussein Bridge, and Eilat. Most of those affected are Palestinian natives, spouses, children, parents and other close relatives of Palestinian ID holders. The policy affects entire families or individual members of families, like the father or the mother of minor children. As a result, families are torn apart, jobs or businesses lost and personal property becomes inaccessible.

The practice applies to people with and without Palestinian or Arab origins, and to those with and without local family relations. In addition to families, effected groups include professionals and academics who are in the oPt for teaching, research, the arts, business, visiting or volunteering their services. Most of these individuals have never overstayed their visitor's visas or breached any visiting regulations. It must be noted that Israel has reserved for itself the exclusive power of civil registration and issuing IDs for Palestinians, visitors' visas and work permits for non-ID holders to the oPt. By these means it is conducting a swift and effective 'silent transfer' of the Palestinian population while the latter is living at the mercy of the Israeli occupation authorities. In addition to the people already locked out, there are many more still in the oPt and at risk of deportation or re-entry denial once they exit the country's international borders to comply with Israeli visa regulations.

A recent petition highlights the problems of filmmakers in accessing the Occupied Territories. An Italian filmmaker has been prevented from showing films in the West Bank. A Palestinian-French filmmaker has been prevented from shooting a feature film in Jerusalem as well as visiting her ailing, elderly mother in the West Bank. A third woman,

Palestinian-American filmmaker, Annemarie Jacir, traveling to the West Bank for the world premiere of her feature film "Salt of the Sea," was also denied entry at Allenby. Jacir's film, is slated for the Cannes Film Festival 2008 as an Official Selection,
The film was to be screened in al-Ama'ri refugee camp at the invitation of the French Consulate in Jerusalem, which supported production of the film, and the International Art Academy in Ramallah, which was co-sponsoring the screening. Jacir has been barred from entering the OPT for the past 9 months. As a result, shooting for one of the main scenes of the film had to be relocated to Marseilles, France. Jacir was held at Allenby Bridge for 6 hours and repeatedly interrogated before she was escorted by two of the agents out of the terminal and onto a bus back to Jordan. Jacir was informed that the Israeli Ministry of Interior had denied her entry
because "you spend too much time here."

On June 26, Mohammad Omer was returning to the Occupied Territories after having received the Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism, when he was brutally interrogated by Shin Bet at the Allenby crossing into the West Bank. In response to this cruelty, WRMEA, has circulated a petition stating:

We call on the Israeli government to end its harassment of travelers and journalists. When Israel targets journalists it infringes on a basic pillar of democracy, freedom of the press. Human beings, even those ruled for decades by an occupying power, have the right to leave home and return safely, without interference, and the right to freedom of speech.

Unfortunately, what happened to Omer was not an isolated incident.

The government prefers stories to be filed from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, where they are subject to censorship, and allows few, if any, international journalists to enter the West Bank and Gaza. Israel censors, harasses and even kills Palestinian journalists who are trying to report on conditions in the occupied territories.
...
At least eight journalists have been killed in the West Bank and Gaza since 2001, seven of them in attacks by Israel Defense Forces, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists research.*

*These include:

- Fadel Shana, a Reuters cameraman, was killed, and soundman Wafa Abu Mizyed was wounded, on April 16, 2008 in the Gaza Strip after they stopped their car, bearing the markings “TV” and “Press,” to film Israeli military forces several hundred meters away. Shana was filming an Israeli tank when it fired on the men.
- Imad Ghanem, a cameraman for the Hamas-affiliated satellite channel Al-Aqsa, was killed by shells fired from Israeli tanks in July 2007 in the Gaza Strip as he was filming paramedics transferring victims of an Israeli tank attack.
- Mohamed Abu Halima, a student correspondent for university-affiliated Al-Najah radio station, was killed on March 22, 2004 while reporting on Israeli troop activity at the entrance to the Balata refugee camp, outside the West Bank city of Nablus.
- Nazih Darwazeh a cameraman for Associated Press Television News, was killed by Israeli forces in Nablus on April 19, 2003 while filming clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli troops. Darwazeh was wearing a fluorescent jacket marked “Press,” and he and other journalists shouted loudly to Israeli troops in both English and Hebrew indicating that they were with the media before the shooting.
- James Miller, a British free-lance cameraman and award-winning documentary filmmaker, was fatally shot in Rafah in the Gaza Strip on May 2, 2003. His producer Saira Shah, and translator Abdul Rahman Abdullah attempted to identify themselves to the Israeli troops in the area while they were leaving. The journalists were wearing jackets and helmets marked “TV,” and Abdullah was waving a white flag while Miller used a flashlight to illuminate the flag.

The citation for Omer's award reads “Every day, he reports from a war zone, where he is also a prisoner. His homeland, Gaza, is surrounded, starved, attacked, forgotten. He is a profoundly humane witness to one of the great injustices of our time. He is the voice of the voiceless.” Not only Mohammad Omer's words, but his life experience give witness to the risks that thousands of Palestinians and many journalists face everyday.

Cross-posted at Booman Tribune

Hebron settlers decry "Activities of Leftist Organizations"

The extremist settlers whose occupation of Hebron's Old City has been growing and strengthening for decades have recently convinced the Israeli military to exclude not only most Palestinians, but also members of Israeli Peace groups and International Christian Peace groups from what they term "the Sterile Zone." In the process, the settlers have put out literature labeling groups from Peace Churches (CPT) and the World Council of Churches (EAPPI) as "antisemitic Christians [who] encourage terrorism and endanger the lives of soldiers and civilians alike" and who "engage in constant provocations and incitement."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

11 July 2008

Recently, settlers in Hebron have increasingly demanded that the Israeli police remove Israeli and international peace and human rights organizations from the H-2 area of the city. Soldiers and settlers have succeeded in preventing two Israeli Breaking the Silence tours from entering Hebron, and police have informed CPTers they may not be in any of the areas where they might have contact with settlers—areas in which settlers attack and harass their Palestinian neighbors. Below is a section from the brochure that the settlers have been handing out to tour groups, entitled, "Inequality & Discrimination in Hebron. In contrast to the false anti-Jewish, and anti-Israeli propaganda, here are the real facts: FACTS." A photo accompanying the "Activities of Leftist Organizations" section in the brochure (quoted below) shows TIPH observers standing in front of a person who is hiding his/her face. Its caption reads, "TIPH observers cooperating with left-wing anarchists." Information on the various organizations cited has been added in brackets.

"Various international and anti-national organizations have targeted Hebron for hostile activities.

"Most of these organizations are funded by anti-Israel foundations, enemy states and European governments. They disseminate falsehoods and conduct propagandistic field trips, media shows, tendentious visits with VIPs, and sundry provocations in order to substantiate what they call "discrimination against Arabs.

"For example, the international Solidarity Movement (ISM) [http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/ ],a blatantly pro-Palestinian-Arab organization, floods Hebron with "anarchists"from all over the world to harass the security forces that are charged with protecting the Jews in the tiny Israeli zone. Organizations such as Ecumenical Escorters [Meaning members of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel. http://www.eappi.org/], Christian Peacekeeping Team [http://www.cpt.org], among others engage in constant provocations and incitement. Groups of antisemitic Christians encourage terrorism and endanger the lives of soldiers and civilians alike. Israeli leftist organizations such as B'tselem [The premier Israeli human rights organization, see http://www.btselem.org/English/], Machsom Watch [an Israeli women's organization that monitors the treatment of civilians at military checkpoints. http://www.machsomwatch.org/en], Sons of Avraham [http://groups.google.com/group/bnei-avraham/web/cover-page—english], and Breaking the Silence [http://www.breakingthesilence.org.il/index_e.asp] love to tour the city with groups of Israelis, non-Israelis, and diplomats, inciting against the Jews of Hebron by giving false, warped presentations.

"Especially grave is the fact that these organizations act in full cooperation with the observers of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH), even though TIPH is supposed to be objective and to refrain from provocations. Furthermore, these organizations act with the cooperation of Palestinian disrupters of order and marauders to undermine the operations of the Israeli Defence Forces.

"The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) [http://www.acri.org.il/eng/] recently joined the activities of the Left in Hebron, acting continually by legal means to breach and trample the Jewish citizens' rights to life and safety."

The full text of the brochure is available {here}

In reality, the presence of volunteers from these peace groups reduce violence in downtown Hebron. EAPPI's activities include:

- Participate in the daily life and work of Palestinian and Israeli civil society, Churches and Christian communities.
- Be visibly present in vulnerable communities, locations or events, e.g. near Israeli settlements and the wall/fence, schools and homes, fields & orchards.
- Actively listen to local people's experiences and give voice to peoples' daily suffering under occupation and write or speak about these experiences in their reports and public speaking engagements.
- Monitor the conduct of Israeli soldiers (e.g. at checkpoints and other barriers and during demonstrations and other military actions) and contact relevant organizations and authorities to request intervention.
- Engage in non-violent ways with perpetrators of human rights abuses.
- Produce high quality, first-hand written materials, testimonies and analysis.
- Report on violations of human rights and international humanitarian law that EAs witness and document and use these reports to inform governments and intergovernmental bodies and press them to take action.
- Engage with the media locally, nationally and internationally.
- Be part of international advocacy and networking activities that highlight the human rights situation in Palestine.

CPT's activities include:

- Monitors treatment of Palestinians at Israeli military checkpoints and roadblocks.
- Intervenes during Israeli military invasions of Palestinian homes.
- Continues regular visits, along with Israeli peace activists, to Palestinian families facing harassment from Israeli settlers
- Provides daily accompaniment for Palestinian children walking to and from school
- Accompanies Palestinian shepherds and farmers to fields where they are exposed to assault by extremist settlers
- Joins Israeli peace groups to replant olive groves destroyed by settlers
- Joins Palestinians and Israeli peace activists in acts of public nonviolent resistance to Israel's construction of a "security wall" which cuts through Palestinian territory.

Unfortunately, without access to the "Sterile Zone," peace groups will not be able to monitor and, in some cases, prevent the daily abuses of human rights that are inflicted there. The settlers have already succeeded in driving out most Palestinians from "the Sterile Zone:" over 200 shops have been shut down and only four Palestinian families still have access to their homes in the district. If the settlers have their way, Hebron's "Sterile Zone" soon may be entirely ethnically cleansed of Palestinians.

Report from Christian Peacemaker Teams Reprinted with Permission

Cross-posted at Booman Tribune

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, July 10, 2008

We pray for the small steps forward in this region. We pray that the fragile Gaza ceasefire, the prisoner swap that has been negotiated between Israel and Hezbollah, and ongoing efforts at reconciliation between Palestinian political parties can be signs of hope for a more peaceful and cooperative future.

We pray for residents of the West Bank village of Na'alin, in the Ramallah district. The Israeli military has imposed a curfew in Na'alin in retaliation for continuing demonstrations against the construction of the apartheid Wall on their land. The route of the Wall was declared illegal by the International Court of Justice four years ago this Wednesday. We pray that in spite of violent retaliation, nonviolent resistance to the Wall and to occupation will continue to grow in Na'alin and throughout the occupied Palestinian territories.

We pray for the Birzeit Festival which begins on Sunday, July 13 for one week. We are grateful for this opportunity for residents of this Christian village on the West Bank to share their culture, art, crafts, and traditions. We pray that the festival will be encourage and empower the local community during this difficult time.

We thank God for the successful Friends of Sabeel North America conference held in at the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice in San Diego last weekend. We are grateful for this opportunity to share the truth about the situation for Palestinians and hope that this conference planted seeds of justice and peace in the hearts of those who attended.

Hebron's "Sterile Zone": Martial Law Tightening

The Israeli Military has recently taken further measures to reduce the safety and access of Palestinians to the Old City in Hebron by forbidding members of Christian Peacemaker Teams and Israeli peace groups from accessing what the military terms, "The Sterile Zone." The military presence in much of Hebron (H1) is similar to that of other Palestinian cities, but the Old City (H2) is quite different because of the presence of Israeli settlers, some of the most right-wing of all settlers. Because of the settlements, the IDF troops severely restrict the access of Palestinians to the Old City. According to B'Tselem and the Association of Civil Rights in Israel, "violence, arbitrary house searches, seizure of houses, harassment, detaining passers-by, and humiliating treatment have become part of daily reality for Palestinians and have led many of them to move to safer places".

After a 13-year-old process of closures and segregation which began – ironically – with the Goldstein attack on Palestinians in the mosque, and continued through the intifada, there are now 304 closed shops and warehouses – 218 of them shut down by military order. The whole of the "sterile zone" protecting the settlements is closed to Palestinian vehicles. And the central section of Shuhada Street is closed to Palestinian pedestrians, except for four families who still live on this once densely populated but now desolate artery. The term used by B'Tselem and ACRI for the steady Palestinian depopulation of the area is "enforced eviction". Jan Kristiansen, a former head of the (already decade-old) Temporary International Presence in Hebron, described it as "ethnic cleansing".
...
In December 2006, ACRI challenged the ban on pedestrians using much of Shuhada Street, pointing out that it had not been sanctioned by a written military order. The Army agreed it was indeed a mistake and issued a directive cancelling the prohibition. Some prominent local Palestinians were allowed to walk along the street after detention and body searches, and with a substantial military escort. Within a week the Palestinians were again told they were not allowed to use the route.

A few days ago, members of CPT were told that they could no longer give tours in the Old City's "Sterile Zone" around Shuhada Street because they do not have an Israeli guide license. A few months ago, British journalist, Donald MacIntyre took such a tour with Yehuda Shaul, a member of the Israeli peace group, Breaking the Silence. Then he compared what he had seen and heard on that tour with the Israeli military's account:

A tour round the inner city with a senior Israeli military official gives a very different take on Hebron from Shaul's. The official, who insists on anonymity, argues that while Palestinians are restricted in only three per cent of the city, Israelis are either barred or heavily restricted in the other 97 per cent. While ACRI and B'Tselem pointed out that a resident of the Old City wanting to cross one side of Shuhada Street to the other needs to go round the entire city centre and pass through a number of checkpoints, the Army insists that the restrictions on pedestrian movement in the city are "minimal". As for vehicles, the Army says that those carrying supplies like construction materials are allowed through with prior authorisation and that the required detours add only 10 minutes to the journey for Palestinians. The official stresses that the closures are needed for security reasons and insists, "I am responsible for the lives of Palestinians and Israelis. I am not just in charge of the Israelis."

This, of course, goes to the heart of the question of who bears the real burden of keeping the settlers safe. In the words of the ACRI/B'Tselem report, "Israeli law-enforcement authorities and security forces have made the entire Palestinian population pay the price for protecting Israeli settlement in the city." In doing so, it caused "the economic collapse of the centre of Hebron and drove many Palestinians out of the area."

Unfortunately, limiting CPT's access to "the Sterile Zone" has even greater consequences than that visiting internationals might only hear the distorted narrative that the IDF will approve for tours:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Israeli martial law imposes further restrictions on Palestinians, CPTers, Israeli peace groups, regardless of Israeli court decision

5 July 2008

On Tuesday, 1 July 2008, CPTer Kathleen Kern was leading a delegation of Presbyterians up Shuhada Street, when a police jeep pulled up beside her. Kern noted that the delegation was composed of Americans, whose tax dollars had paid for improvements on Shuhada Street, undertaken with the stipulation that everyone Israelis and Palestinians--could use it. The officer said the group could continue, but Kern could not because "CPT and Bnei Avraham" (Sons of Abraham-a group committed to Palestinian and Israeli reconciliation in Hebron) were not licensed tour guides.

On 4 July, when Kern went to meet an Israeli friend, Q., who came on an Israeli bus that stops in the Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of Machpelah area, the police stopped both her and Q. They again reminded Kern that she could not go near the settlements, for her own safety, because "the local citizens" (meaning settlers) did not want her around. They then entered Q.'s Israeli ID into a computer aboard the police jeep. Kern told him that she and Q had no intention of going to the settlements. As she and Q. began walking toward the team's apartment, Border Police stopped them and said that Q., since he was Jewish, could not enter the market, the only remaining route to the team's apartment, since numerous entrances have been closed to Palestinians and internationals' use. He decided to catch the bus back to Jerusalem that was arriving in ten minutes, because if he and she tried to enter the market a roundabout way and failed, he would have to wait for four hours to catch the next bus.

As Kern waited for the bus with Q., the police officer who had stopped her on 1 July approached and told her she was not allowed in the area. She noted that he had just mentioned Shuhada Street, not the entire mosque area, and he told her Shuhada Street, the park in front of the mosque, and Tel Rumeida were off limits to CPT. What if we need to go to the police?" she asked, pointing to the station in front of the Mosque. "You can come to the police station," he said. He assured her that Q. would be safe and made a point of telling him that TIPH—a monitoring group authorized by the Israeli government--was allowed to be in the area, just not CPT.

The areas that the police indicated were off-limits include areas where CPTers are present to ensure that Palestinian children get safely to school during the school year, and areas where settlers frequently attack their Palestinian neighbors. The restrictions the police are enforcing on Israeli peace groups also mean that Palestinians in the area will never meet Israelis who support their human rights; they will have connections only with Israelis who harass and abuse them.

In December 2006, the Israeli High Court ruled that Palestinians must have free access to Shuhada Street, but the Israeli military and police continue to maintain the area for settler use only, referring to it as a "sterile" zone.

Report Reprinted with Permission by Christian Peacemaker Teams

Cross-Posted at Booman Tribune and Street Prophets