Stubborn hope
“Rejoicing here is not denial–it is the stubborn hope that injustice does not have the final word.” – Omar Haramy of Sabeel Jerusalem in a reflection on “The Beatitudes as a Call to Bless Gaza,” January 29, 2026
News you likely won't hear about
At CFOS we usually don’t focus on keeping our supporters up to date on all current events in Palestine/Israel. It’s usually a question of capacity. However, in recent weeks, the speed with which Israel is transforming the West Bank through a “silent genocide,” and the failure of Western media to report on these developments, caused us to re-think our regular practice. Here are some critical items that you probably won’t hear about in mainstream media:
B’tselem (the Israeli human rights agency) reports that Israel has forcibly expelled 45 Palestinian communities in the West Bank, with more than 3500 people, since October 2023; 12 communities have been partially displaced. Details here.
In its year-end report, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs indicates that in 2025 Israeli forces or settlers killed 240 Palestinians, including 55 children, while injuring 3,982, including 697 children. Over 37,000 people have been displaced. More data here.
Settler violence has reached unprecedented levels. Just this week, Israeli settlers attacked three villagers in Massafer Yatta in the South Hebron Hills, burning homes and brutally attacking villagers. Israeli soldiers and settlers prevented ambulances and fire trucks from reaching the scene. Video footage here.
Since the signing of a ceasefire in October 2025, Israeli forces in Gaza have killed 439 Palestinians, destroyed 15,000+ buildings, and committed 1200 ceasefire violations. Source: Sabeel Jerusalem.
CFOS urges PM Carney to take swift and bold action
In the wake of visits to Palestine/Israel by several CFOS board members, CFOS Chair Rula Odeh has written to Prime Minister Mark Carney urging his government:
To sanction Israel for its rapid expansion of illegal settlements and land confiscation in the West Bank,
To condemn Israel’s banning of 37 international humanitarian organizations from Gaza and the West Bank,
To end to all Canadian arms shipments to Israel, including those routed via the US through a legal loophole,
To oppose President Trump’s invitation to the prime minister to join his “Board of Peace,”
To oppose any Canadian participation in the proposed “International Stabilization Force.”
The letter is dated January 22, 2026, and copied to Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand and the leaders of the 3 national Opposition parties. Read the entire letter here.
Israeli prisons: “Living Hell”
B’Tselem, the Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, has issued Living Hell: The Israeli Prison System as a Network of Torture Camps. A follow-up to B’Tselem’s August 2024 report, Welcome to Hell, it gathers updated figures and new testimonies from 21 Palestinians recently released from Israeli prisons, drawing also on data from other Israeli and international human rights organizations. Content Warning: The report describes deliberate starvation, denial of medical care, violent physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. More than 10,000 Palestinians are in Israeli prisons; 84 have died in detention since October 7, 2023. You can read and download both reports here.
“Come and See, Go and Tell”
Are you enraged by the Palestine genocide, but feeling hampered in what you can do without first-hand experience on the ground in Palestine? Then consider joining “Come and See, Go and Tell.”
This is the name and motto of 10-day pilgrimages led by Sabeel Jerusalem. Pilgrim participants meet Palestinians in Palestine, share moments of their daily lives, and learn about the political, economic and social context. On their return, they are better equipped to advocate and engage others. CFOS has promoted these pilgrimages as “Influencer” trips but, remember, anyone can be a potential influencer. Pilgrimages from Canada are planned this year for March, April, June, and September. More info is available on the CFOS website, here.
One more push on the No More Loopholes Bill
Canadian arms and arms components are still fuelling Israel’s oppression of Palestinians. Help to end this horrific practice by advocating for No More Loopholes Bill (Bill C-233), currently before the Canadian Parliament and scheduled for a vote by the end of February. Sponsored by NDP MP Jenny Kwan, the private member’s bill “would close dangerous gaps in Canada’s arms export laws that allow Canadian-made weapons parts to be shipped through the U.S. and on to Israel or other conflict zones without oversight.” MPs are the ones who can pass bills, and you can let your MP know what you think. Join the Day of Action on February 17. Make your opinion known by downloading, printing, and distributing flyers and posters. These and other advocacy toolkit items are available at the Arms Embargo Now website.
Kairos Palestine II study guide and petition
Several US-based solidarity organizations are preparing a congregational study guide for A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide. The guide is a companion to the Kairos Palestine II document issued in Bethlehem in November 2025 (available here). It includes help for study leaders, lesson plans, worship liturgy, materials for children, and a “Palestine 101” outline of the historical past and current context of the Palestinian genocide. This guide will be a great resource to help congregations, adult education classes or small groups engage Kairos Palestine II. You can read an overview of the guide here. The finished document will be a downloadable pdf, available by early February here
If you have been inspired by the message and witness of the Palestinian Christian community, then please sign the petition to endorse Kairos Palestine II: A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide. By adding your name, you affirm publicly that:
the suffering of Palestinians must be named truthfully (as genocide, ethnic cleansing, forced displacement and apartheid) and confronted courageously,
faith must stand on the side of the oppressed, not the powerful,
justice, accountability, and equal human dignity are prerequisites for any lasting peace.
Kairos Palestine says, “We invite churches, faith leaders, and people of conscience to sign and endorse this petition as an act of solidarity, moral responsibility, and commitment to justice grounded in faith.”
Grants available for international solidarity internships
Community Peacemaker Teams Palestine, in partnership with the German Mennonite Peace Committee, is offering International Solidarity Internship Grants, to fund passionate volunteers experiencing the call to “promoting peace, defending human rights, and supporting Palestinian communities in their daily struggle for safety and dignity.” This is a unique opportunity, with funding of travel and other expenses, “to engage in solidarity work, contribute to community resilience, and gain hands-on experience in supporting Palestinian communities.” Your time will be spent largely at an internationally-known family farm near Bethlehem. If you feel called to this mission, you can find the application form here. Learn more about Community Peacemaking Teams 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 programs have been discontinued for now. Past programs are posted on the Kumin Now Youtube channel.