Israel is a land of extreme importance for Christians, Jews and Muslims around the world. Three thousand years ago Israel became home for the Jewish people. A thousand years later after the death of Jesus in Jerusalem the Jewish people were scattered and Israel became Palestine and Jerusalem a Holy City of Islam, in memory of the Prophet Mohammed.

In the 19th century Jews from around the world started to return to Israel, their ‘homeland’, the problem was that Palestine was also home to an Arab population. In 1948 the Arabs lost most of their land to the Israelis. Since then the country has been in an almost continual state of war and political tension, with Palestinians and Israelis fighting to assert their rights to their land and country.

The division of Israel into two separate states of Israel and Palestine started in 1993 with limited self governance in the West Bank. It took further shape in 2005 when formal peace agreements and reciprocal steps were made by leaders.

The final division was made and a border established in 2005. Palestine had parliamentary elections in January 2006 when a new religious dimension entered Palestinian politics with Hamas becoming the first democratically elected Islamic government in the Middle East in recent years.

Violence still threatens peace and the success of Palestine. The Palestinian nation is struggling mainly because Hamas is seen as a terrorist government by the international community who refuse to support it politically or through desperately needed aid.

There is increasing a concern over rising cocaine and heroin abuse through growing secularisation.

The number of Jews and Muslims who are becoming Christians is growing.

Finally Palestine has become its own state without a civil war, though through much bloodshed.

Praise God for his continued purposes on this region.

Thank God for the Christians and Jews that remain in Palestine and pray for their protection

Pray that deep rooted forgiveness takes place within Palestine and that through this a good government with be democratically elected.

Pray for lasting peace in the conflict between Arabs and Israelis. That new leaders will work together for a better future for both Israel and Palestine

Many Jews have deep feelings of resentment and mistrust towards Christians. Pray that their hearts would be opened to see Jesus as their personal Saviour and the fulfilment of their Jewish heritage.

The ultra-religious Orthodox Jews (Haredi) dominate society, even though they only represent 10% of the population. Pray that the complete power of God’s grace and love would break through all religion and pride.

97% of the Arab population in Palestine are Muslims and few missionaries are working in these communities to share the gospel.