ACT Palestine Forum

October 23, 2015 –

ACT PALESTINE FORUM

PRAYER VIGIL FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

24^th of every month

Prayer Petitions for an End to the Current Escalation of Violence and for Justice in Accordance with International Law

Saturday, 24 October, 2015

Every day in the month ahead, we continue to pray with and for our sisters and brothers in Palestine and Israel who have called for an ecumenical prayer vigil across the globe on the 24th of every month.

On 16 October 2015, the ACT Palestine Forum released a statement in response to the escalation of violence that has swept through Palestine and Israel in the month of October. Since 1 October, over 50 Palestinians have been killed, including 10 children, and over 2,000 injured. In addition, 8 Israelis have been killed and 83 injured.

The forum condemns such violence as “the killing of both Palestinian and Israeli civilians, use of excessive force by Israeli police and army against protesters, extra judicial killings, collective punishment in the form of severe restrictions of movement, closure of Palestinian neighborhoods and punitive home demolitions in East Jerusalem.”

This month, we lift up prayers for our sisters and brothers in Israel and Palestine who live under the threat of violence and humiliation. We focus on the immense human suffering caused by the current political situation and the importance of using non-violent means to bring justice and peace to the Holy Land.

During the month between 24 October and 24 November 2015, the ACT Palestine Forum will focus its awareness building and advocacy efforts on seeking justice in accordance with international law in relation to the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, house demolitions, severe movement restrictions and other human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories. We will continue to pray for Palestinians and Israelis, and advocate for non-violent means of pursuing justice. We invite you to prepare and send prayer petitions for us to share on the APF website.

APF encourages its friends and partners to visit the APF website and APF Facebook page often to find, and also contribute, updates, photos, stories, advocacy ideas, and special prayers.

Prayers for 24 October 2015 and the month following:

God of peace, we are desperate for your presence and intervention in the land where your Son came to bring peace and reconciliation to the world. Pour out your Holy Spirit on all your children in Israel and Palestine. Let hatred be turned into love, fear to trust, despair to hope, oppression to freedom, occupation to liberation, violent encounters to loving embraces, that peace and justice could be experienced by all.

God of new life, hear our prayer.

God of compassion, we acknowledge how easy it is to be unaware of the suffering of others, especially when such hardships are not immediately in front of us. Rouse us from our complacency, O Lord, and help us to realize our connectedness as human beings. Our neighbor’s well-being is our well-being. Stir up the spirit of justice within us, that we might affect change even if we are at a distance.

God of new life, hear our prayer.

Source of calm and peace, we cry out to you in prayer for those who are beaten down by the daily challenges of living under occupation; for all who live under the threat of violence and humiliation; for those whose freedom of movement is restricted by checkpoints and walls; for those who mourn for their dead and imprisoned loved ones. May your transforming Spirit bring them comfort and give them hope.

God of new life, hear our prayer.

Merciful God, we pray for those whose lives are affected by the current escalation of violence in Palestine and Israel. For those whose loved ones are victims of the daily violence; for all who are afraid to leave their homes and open their businesses; for those who are sealed into their neighborhoods by road closures and checkpoints.

God of new life, hear our prayer.

God of justice, we pray for those driven by fear, hatred, and vengeance; for those who impede the progress of peace and those who perpetuate violence. May they realize that the security and peace we all long for will not come through the force of arms. Strengthen and empower those who tirelessly seek reconciliation through non-violent means. Give them the faith and courage to go where your hand leads them.

God of new life, hear our prayer. 

God of all goodness, you have been our refuge from generation to generation. Your will is that peace should shine on all people everywhere. Even in our moments of greatest desperation, we know You are with us. With your Spirit, guide the efforts of humankind to bring peace and justice to the nations of the earth.

God of new life, hear our prayer.

We ask all these things, O God of peace, trusting in your unfailing mercy. Amen

PDF Version: APF Prayer Vigil-October 2015

October 16, 2015 – The following statement was issued by the ACT Palestine Forum in response to escalation of violence that has swept through Palestine and Israel during the month of October. We call for an end to the violence by addressing the continued violation of humanitarian law and human rights under the Israeli occupation. The statement can also be found on the ACT Alliance website.

ACT Palestine Forum Statement

Jerusalem 16th of October

We, as members of the ACT Palestine Forum composed of local churches and church- related development and humanitarian organizations, are deeply concerned about the loss of life and human suffering we experience across Palestine and in Israel these days.

The current escalation of violence is alarming. Thousands of women and men, girls and boys, have been injured and many killed since 1 October. In Jerusalem, the rest of the West Bank and Gaza we experience the killing of both Palestinian and Israeli civilians, use of excessive force by Israeli police and army against protesters, extra judicial killings, collective punishment in the form of severe restrictions of movement, closure of Palestinian neighborhoods and punitive home demolitions in East Jerusalem. We condemn all of this violence and we are convinced that violence cannot solve the conflict.

We are convinced, however, that we will not see an end to the conflict without an end to the Israeli occupation. Administrative detention, the continued blockade of and dire humanitarian situation in Gaza where thousands still await rehabilitation and reconstruction of their homes, settlement expansion, house demolitions, severe movement restrictions and other violations of basic rights throughout the occupied Palestinian territories by Israel are depriving Palestinians their internationally recognized rights, create immense human suffering and provides no hope for the future generations. The current political situation is in no ways sustainable.

The ACT Palestine Forum calls on the international community to address the root causes of the conflict by redoubling its efforts to safeguard international humanitarian law and human rights and to open negotiations underpinned by international law that will bring an end to the Israeli occupation and help end the human suffering and insecurity felt by both Palestinians and Israelis.

In light of the escalation of violence and violation of basic rights, the ACT Palestine Forum members, as faith-based organizations committed to non-violence and the rule of law, appeal to the international community for measures to protect the civilian population.

At the same time, the ACT Palestine Forum calls on religious leaders of all faiths to work together with political leaders to protect all of the Holy Places in Jerusalem and throughout the Holy Land and demand that the Israeli government cancel its recent decisions preventing free access of Palestinians to the Old City of Jerusalem, respecting and practicing the status quo towards Al Aqsa Mosque and all religious Holy Sites

The ACT Palestine Forum stands in support of the statement of the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, released on 21 September 2015, concerning the recent violence on the Haram al Sharif. The Forum encourages its partners to support and act upon this statement and the call of the Heads of Churches that “the existing Status Quo governing these sites needs to be fully respected for the sake of the whole community.” http://en.lpj.org/2015/09/21/statu-quo-in-haram-al-sharif- statement-from-the-heads-of-the-churches/

It is in these days of unrest and instability, fear and hopelessness, that the voices of people of faith must be heard. The ACT Palestine Forum appeals to its partners around the globe to help carry the vision of peace, justice, hope, and dignity for Palestine and Israel, especially at times like now, when young and old alike are weighed down by despair and discouraged by the lack of a viable peace process.

Signatories

ACT Palestine Forum

ACT for Peace

Ahli ArabHospital Christian Aid Church of Sweden

Church World Service

Dan Church Aid

Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees

Diakonia

Finn Church Aid

Mennonite Central Committee

Norwegian Church Aid

The East Jerusalem YMCA

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan & the Holy Land

The Lutheran World Federation

The United Church Of Canada

PDF Version: APF – statement – Final 16 October

PDF Italian Version: Dichiarazione dell-ACT Palestine Forum