Let us choose life over death
This Christmas, let us choose life over death, truth over silence, justice over fear, and solidarity over complicity. Let the light of Christ shine through your actions, your advocacy, and your unwavering commitment to justice.” – Kairos Palestine Christmas Alert 2025
Christmas in Bethlehem
For the first time in two years, the Christmas tree was lit in Bethlehem. Many Palestinians gathered to watch the lighting. Bethlehem mayor Maher Canawati said the lighting of the Christmas tree in Bethlehem was a message of hope for Palestinians, to Gaza and to the world.
Sabeel offered this prayer for the occasion:
"Holy God, as we witness the lighting of the Christmas tree in the place of your birth, we meditate on the mystery, revolution, and hope of the Christmas story that proclaims liberation for the oppressed. In the face of overwhelming death today, teach us how to faithfully hold onto your promise of liberation and life."
Kairos Palestine II
On November 14, some 250 people – including local Palestinians, as well as 80 international allies – gathered in Bethlehem for the release of the eagerly-anticipated Kairos Palestine II document: “A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide.”
Released by a broad movement of Palestinian Christians and building on an earlier statement from 2009, the new document states, “We live now in a time of genocide, ethnic cleansing and forced displacement unfolding before the eyes of the world. This moment demands from us a new stand, one unlike any before it. It is both a decisive moment and a moment of truth.”
Out of the depths, Kairos Palestine calls for bold, courageous and “costly solidarity” to resist the advancing erasure of Palestinians from Palestine, not only in Gaza but the West Bank. It lifts “both lament and proclamation, mourning what has been destroyed and affirming the mission to resist oppression, uphold life and proclaim justice.”
Stay tuned to learn more about CFOS’ and the Canadian ecumenical community’s response to Kairos Palestine II. In the meantime:
"The Silent Genocide"
In conjunction with the release of KP II, Kairos Palestine also released on YouTube its documentary “The Silent Genocide.” In graphic detail, the video depicts the destruction in Gaza and the accelerating, if under-reported, violence by settlers, the IDF, and Israeli government edicts against Palestinians in the West Bank. It describes the “Israelization” of the West Bank, with special attention on Beit Sahour and the Bethlehem area.
While the video features footage of violence, it portrays Palestinians not only as victims but also as agents who actively resist through creative nonviolence and cultural strength. It features the articulate voices of many Palestinians, both Christian and Muslim. The film runs 15.40 minutes. You can view it here.
Stop the settlements!
Dr. Elias Saheed, mayor of Beit Sahour (near Bethlehem), has issued an urgent appeal to the international community to stop Israel's dramatic expansion of illegal settlements and the explosion of settler violence through the West Bank. He draws special attention to a new settlement suddenly being built that will “cut off Beit Sahour from its eastern border, dividing our community into two areas separated by illegal and violent settlers.” Saheed refers to documentation by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), of 757 settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank since January 2025, a 13% increase over 2024.
Kairos Canada is preparing important background information on the settlement issue and a tool for demanding that Canada take much stronger action to resist Israel’s illegal settlement activity. Please look for it on social media in the coming days.
Close the loopholes on Canadian arms sales!
The Arms Embargo Now campaign continues with unabated energy, calling on the Canadian government “to immediately suspend all trade in arms and military technology with Israel.” A recent report specifies in detail the loopholes in Canadian regulations that facilitate the arms trade with Israel. While direct exports require permits, indirect exports, whereby Canadian arms are shipped to Israel through transfers via the United States, make use of this major loophole, thus “exempting military exports to the US from having to go through Canada’s permitting requirements, human rights risk assessment regime, and any measure of transparency.”
Member of Parliament Jenny Kwan has introduced Bill C-233 – the No More Loopholes Bill – which, if passed, would close this loophole. Please support this important bill by phoning or sending a note to your Member of Parliament. Excellent tools for both phoning or emailing your MP are here.
Christmas and Advent resources
The “Red Candle: Light for Palestine” campaign continues. Through the Advent and Christmas season, participants are invited to 1) light a red candle to remember the people of Palestine, 2) make a pledge to act in solidarity, and 3) share their actions with five others. This candle-lit solidarity began in the grotto of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Details on how to participate are here.
The United Church of Canada features “Pause, Pray, Disrupt,” a weekly Advent Vigil for Palestine. The Vigil creates “space for congregants to respond to the call for solidarity with Palestinian communities. All are welcome to participate in this time of faithful witness.” The final session is December 17 at noon ET. Zoom sign-up here.
Our allies at FOSNA have been promoting “Preach Palestine,” an ongoing series of liturgical resources for worship services focused on the theme of peace and justice in Palestine. Advent resources available here.
Congratulations to Yara Shoufani
We at CFOS congratulate our former CFOS Executive Director Yara Shoufani on her appointment as President of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME). For a dozen years, Yara has been engaged in advocacy and activism for pro-Palestinian causes and is currently working on a PhD at York University about the impact of Israel’s occupation on the Palestinian economy. More details are available here.
What our board members are up to
CFOS board members have been busy lately!
Rula Odeh, chair, spoke at an event on Palestinian Christians at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Ottawa on November 24, together with Dr. William Janzen.
Monica Lambton, founding board member, took the lead in organizing our recent silent auction: “Art as Resilience.”
Dorcas Gordon, board member, accompanied the new Presbyterian Church of Canada moderator, the Rev. Jeffery Murray, and PCC general secretary, the Rev. Ian McDonald, on a 10-day visit to Palestine/Israel in September. Dorcas also was the preacher at Sabeel's weekly prayer service on December 11.
Vice-chair Steve Berube and board member Jeff Nowers led a Sabeel-organized "Come and See" tour from November 30 to December 10. The group included Bishop Andrew Asbil, Rev. Dr. Christopher Brittan (Trinity College) and six other members of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto.
Esther Epp-Tiessen, board member, attended the Kairos Palestine conference in Bethlehem and travelled through the West Bank in November.
Thank-you to our supporters!
The CFOS “Art as Resilience” auction has concluded and raised over $4000 from 119 bids, to support CFOS’ work for justice and peace in Palestine. Thank you to all who participated. The CFOS annual Christmas fundraising campaign continues till year end. You are invited to donate here.
Weekly events hosted by Sabeel Jerusalem
Sabeel conducts a weekly English online worship service on Thursdays at 11:00 AM EDT. The services are a time to meet together to discuss how weekly scripture readings apply to life today, especially in Palestine and Israel, and to pray for the specific needs of this region through the Sabeel Wave of Prayer. Register here to participate.
Sabeel’s weekly topical Wave of Prayer email draws on specific experiences from the preceding week; you can find each week’s prayer here.
Sabeel’s Kumi Now program hosts weekly online sessions every Tuesday via livestream. Each week, Kumi Now highlights a different organization working to raise awareness about specific issues in Palestine and Israel, provides information about a specific issue of injustice through the stories of those affected, and promotes a creative nonviolent advocacy action. Register to participate here. After streaming live, all sessions are posted on the Kumi Now YouTube channel.