30th July 2026

The United Nations have said that in the occupied West Bank, eight Palestinians, including a boy, and two members of the Israeli military have been killed since Friday, and that 76 Palestinians and one Israeli have died this year in settler attacks. The number of settler attacks, that is Israeli violence against Palestinians resident in the West Bank, were about 190 attacks per month in the first four months of this year. This rate of violence will result in over 2,000 attacks for the whole of 2026. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have reported that Alongside security forces, Israeli settlers in the West Bank, with financial incentives from the government, frequently attack families, burn mosques and destroy and confiscate property. On Monday, Israeli troops forcibly entered a UN facility in East Jerusalem where hundreds of Palestinian refugees receive free vocational training each year. The UN and its partners in the occupied territories condemned the action, which violates international law. UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ramiz Alakbarov called the continued loss of life in the West Bank “deeply alarming”, adding, “There is no military or violent solution to this conflict”.

Loving God, our hearts go out to our neighbours living in the West Bank, living in fear of the lives. Bring your healing to this troubled land. May the hope and courage of Christ be with all who are desperate and dying, all who are displaced from their homes and farms. May the gentleness of Christ prevail through the pain of conflict and mistrust, and heal the wounds of conflict, hate and division. May your Holy Spirit move among the leaders of nations that they may seek to bring an end to the violence and oppression people experience in the West Bank.  Help us all to remember your command to tret the foreigner living in our land as one of our native born. In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

In the UK, the charity Stewardship, which manages charitable donations from churches, charities, and individuals, has reported that last year was its highest income year on record. Last year Stewardship helped over 30,000 donors give around £160m in support of over 12,000 churches, charities and Christian workers. £134 million was paid out in one million grants to church partners, church workers, and other Christian charities: a 26-per-cent increase. Stewardship also makes loans to churches and charities towards projects. The value of these loans was £30.5 million last year. The chief executive of Stewardship, Janie Oliver, said: “In a season when many churches and charities are navigating real pressures, it has been deeply encouraging to witness the resilience of our donors and the extraordinary impact of the ministries they support."  Stewardship has been working for120 years with generous Christians and the ministries they support.  

You can find out more about Stewardship here.

Psalm 89 selected verses (ESV)

I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, for ever;

with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness

to all generations.

Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,

your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!

For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?

Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,

a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,

and awesome above all who are around him?

O Lord God of hosts,

who is mighty as you are, O Lord,

with your faithfulness all round you?

The heavens are yours;

the earth also is yours;

the world and all that is in it,

you have founded them.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;

steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

Blessed be the Lord for ever!

Amen and Amen.