Today marks one year since the horrific Hamas-led attacks on Israel. The response from Israel’s leaders has seen the violence, dispossession and death escalate, and threaten to engulf the entire region. In the face of such grief and tragedy, we lament, yearn and pray for peace, restoration and wholeness, and call our leaders to act towards these ends.
We believe that every person is created in the image of God, with equal dignity and worth. All people have a right to peace marked by safety, freedom and justice . As followers of Jesus, we remember and recognise that we are to pursue this right for both neighbour and enemy (Mark 5:43-45). Children, women and men, whether they be from Palestine, Israel, Lebanon or Australia are equally worthy of love and protection. Any failure to recognise this, even in the pursuit of otherwise worthy goals, must be condemned.
There is no justification for the violence Hamas enacted upon Israel, which included the brutal murder and captivity of over 1000 civilians, about 100 of whom remain as hostages in Gaza. Likewise, we believe Israel’s decades long occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, the excessive destruction of the lives and wellbeing of civilians, aid workers and journalists, and the ongoing decisions that have escalated violence, must be condemned. Over 41,000 people have been killed mostly women, children and the elderly, while millions more face starvation and displacement. United Nations Special Rapporteurs has described Israel’s actions in Gaza as a form of genocidal violence.
Voices from across nations and religions, Islamic, Jewish and Christian, have been calling for a de-escalation of violence, a ceasefire and ultimately, peace. Friend of Common Grace, James Harris, who recently returned from the West Bank of Palestine had this to say,
“While in Palestine, I was again struck by the Palestinian Christian community’s commitment to the non-violent Way of Jesus, even in the face of what the ICJ is stating is plausibly a genocide. Palestinian theologian Anton Deik, in his lecture Missiology After Gaza said:
As Palestinian Christians, we remain fully committed to Jesus' genius ethic of non-violent resistance — the ethic of love — that works and can change the world…We strongly urge Western Christians to come alongside us in this.”
We long and pray for a peace marked by safety, freedom and justice for all. Let us amplify the voice of these peace-makers, to find ways to love our enemies and to actively work for a just-peace.
We join with the Palestinian Christians at Sabeel in Jerusalem, in praying:
Crucified Messiah, every time we blink another massacre occurs. Schools, hospitals, safe-zones, and refugee camps are all targeted one by one. Lord, as we struggle to find words and for many, we have no more tears, we simply utter the words of the Psalmist: “Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy” (Psalm 130:1-2). Redeem this broken world.
Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer
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Advocating for safety, welcome and freedom
As this escalating conflict compounds the biggest global displacement crisis in history, we ask ‘What would it look like for Australia to respond in love and compassion?’. As a movement we continue to call on our nation’s leaders to act justly and generously; to provide welcome and care to those who have been forced to search for safety. If you would like to find out more or add your voice to these calls, please visit here.
Gershon Nimbalker is the National Director of Common Grace and founder of Sojourners Social Change Consultants. He has more than 15 years of experience working in advocacy, policy, and research, as well as leading and growing grass roots movements to campaign on issues of social justice. Gershon lives on the lands of Awabakal peoples in Newcastle, NSW with his young family.