… but the church was earnestly praying to God … Acts 12:5
In response to the deep crisis facing our Arab community in Israel — nearly 2.1 million people — we are grieving the unbearable rise in violence and organized crime that has stolen peace and security from daily life.
The year 2025 ended as the deadliest on record, with 252 lives taken. Already this year, until February 3rd, 32 Arabs have been killed, many in broad daylight, in our own cities and villages. This violence is no longer distant; it is penetrating our families, wounding our young people, and even touching our church communities and believers. The result is fear, heartbreak, and a growing sense of hopelessness.
Too often, our people feel abandoned — seeing authorities unable or unwilling to stop the relentless cycle of murder, illegal weapons, and criminal activity. At the same time, there is a growing trend among our young generation to emigrate and leave the country, feeling that safety, opportunity, and hope are slipping away.
In this painful moment, we turn to God, knowing that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalms 46:1
On February 2nd, we held a prayer gathering at Cana Baptist Church, lifting our voices together for our community and our country.
At the gathering, about 40 believers — pastors, church leaders, men and women, young and old from various Baptist and Evangelical churches — came together in unity. With one heart, we lifted up our nation in earnest prayer, asking the Lord to intervene, to break the cycle of violence, and to protect our communities as this crisis draws ever closer to us.
We also prayed for the growing tension in our region, and the possibility of a wider conflict between the USA and Iran, knowing that any escalation would deeply affect us here in Israel. We asked the Lord to bring peace, to restrain violence, and to give wisdom to leaders on all sides.
As the Association of Baptist Churches in Israel, we are committed to continuing in prayer together. We will keep meeting monthly, and our next gathering will be on March 2nd at Tur‘an Baptist Church. We invite our churches and friends to join us as we persevere in prayer for our people and our nation.
In addition, regarding the ongoing violence in our community, we are discussing practical ways to protest and publicly express our stand with our people, seeking together how we can raise our voice for justice, safety, and the protection of life.
We now invite friends and partners around the world to continue standing with us in prayer:
- For the protection of life and an end to bloodshed
- For justice, courage, and wisdom for leaders and authorities
- For comfort and healing for grieving families
- For God’s peace to break through the darkness overwhelming our people
- For regional stability and the prevention of wider conflict
- For hope and resilience among our young generation
May the Lord bring restoration, justice, and hope to our land.
Thank you for standing with us during this critical time.