A Prayer from Israel and Palestine

The following prayer has been sent to WCC member churches as part of a call to prayer for the people of Gaza. You can also read about churches mobilising for peace here.
However as I have repreated at our midday prayers for peace:
when words fail us we turn to prayer;
when words fail us we still turn to the Word of words;
when words fail us God still listens ...

God of mercy and compassion,
Of grace and reconciliation,
Pour your power upon all your children in the Middle East.
Let hatred be turned into love, fear to trust,
Despair to hope, oppression to freedom,
Occupation to liberation,
That violent encounters may be replaced by loving embraces,
And peace and justice could be experienced by all.
Amen.

From Imagine Peace,
a devotional resource from the WCC Decade to Overcome Violence, 2008.