Israeli soldiers and border police used a backhoe to uproot
200 young olive trees in the Palestinian village of Susya in
the South Hebron Hills on 23 April. 

God, grant that those persecuting you in your people in Palestine -- demolishing homes, cisterns and houses of prayer, and justifying the pillage by the need to practice war -- will turn from their vanity and practice love and peacemaking instead.

Settlement expansion, mass arrest of children on their way to school, torturous fear, gunfire
through the night close to home: through it all grace, love, hospitality and dreams give hope
a place to thrive.

Soldiers and border police disrupted a peaceful solidarity march
in the South Hebron Hills today. The soldiers attempted to arrest
two Palestinians and arrested one international. One international
and one Palestinian were injured.

On 16 March 2013 the South Hebron Hills Popular Committee built a tent to protect school children from Tuba and Maghayir Al Abeed waiting for their military escort. Hours after the ceremonious construction of the tent, the Israeli military demolished it and arrested one of the internationals present.

Imagine that your neighborhood was declared a firing range. You are threatened with forced evacuation. Demolition orders are issued for your home, your church and the school your children attend. Your land will cease to belong to you, and your livestock will be removed.

Lord, restore dignity to those who demolish homes, irrigation systems and olive groves, who practice bombing and shooting all night near residential areas, or oppress by other weapons from the arsenal of occupation.  By the prayers of the faithful, from intended oppression, fashion Beloved Community.

I don't have to comfort a crying baby awakened by an explosion.
I don't have to wake up for school the next day.
I don't have to feel this fear every night. 

In Masafer Yatta, Palestine, Israeli
soldiers began military exercises
in the area they have called "Firing
Zone 918".

Pray that justice-seeking communities in Palestine, Israel and around the world stand firm to prevent the eviction of more than a thousand villagers in Massafer Yatta, south of Hebron, West Bank, and the conversion of their homeland into a bombing range.