As I was preparing to write about Presbyterian involvement in a Lenten postcard campaign calling for the release of all Palestinian female detainees in Israeli prisons, the news came: Israel’s death penalty bill, worded to apply only to Palestinians, became law. According to B’Tselem – The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories – the Israeli Prison Service has already begun preparing facilities for the execution of Palestinian prisoners by hanging.
This makes spiritual support and advocacy for the more than 9,000 Palestinian prisoners and their families all the more urgent. This is the work of the Faith in Action Group, which originated at Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church in Louisville. It is work rooted in prayer and relationship — deeply spiritual and life-giving. We invite you to consider joining us.
Recently, in partnership with Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA), our local Faith in Action group joined a campaign to release all Palestinian female prisoners. Launched during Lent — a season of reflection and moral reckoning — the campaign helped us learn the stories of more than 70 women held at the Damon Military Prison in Israel. These women and girls reportedly face ongoing sexual violence, inadequate nutrition and medical care, and degrading treatment. They are attacked by dogs, shackled and stripped of their religious garments.
Along with 15 other faith communities across the United States, we wrote and sent more than 1,000 postcards to women held in Damon Prison. These cards, written by Christians from diverse denominations — including Disciples of Christ, Episcopal, Lutheran, Orthodox, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), United Church of Christ, United Methodist and nondenominational communities — carried messages of prayer and solidarity and condemned the conditions these women endure.
Nonetheless, it is unlikely these messages will ever be read. According to the Guardian, the women are being held incommunicado, unable to see or correspond with their families.
While Presbyterians hold a range of views on Israel and Palestine, our Faith in Action group believes Christians cannot ignore the treatment of Palestinian women imprisoned in Israel. We believe the church has a moral obligation to speak, advocate and act on their behalf. We also feel a broader moral responsibility, given the role of the United States in providing military support to Israel.
In July 2024, B’Tselem published the report “Welcome to Hell,” which included testimony from more than 50 Palestinian detainees who had been held in Israeli prisons and later released, many without charges. They described experiences of cruel treatment, torture and inhumane conditions. In 2026, the report was updated. Additional interviews and international human rights reports documented how both civilian and military detention facilities have become sites of systemic abuse, including reports of starvation, sexual violence and deaths in custody.
The postcard-writing phase of the campaign concluded during Holy Week. Even if these women never see the cards, we want them to know they are not forgotten — that people around the world, including Presbyterians and other Christians, are watching and praying for them. We are now sharing images of the postcards with media outlets worldwide.
For more information about the “Friends of Palestinian Detainees” program and ways to join the “Campaign to Release All Palestinian Female Prisoners,” contact FOSNA at fosna.org or FriendsPalestinianDetainees@
As you consider how you and your faith community might engage this work, we encourage you to explore resources from the Palestine Justice Network of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), including:
- “A Moment Of Truth: Faith In A Time of Genocide,” A Congregational Study Guide on Kairos Palestine II
- “Why Palestine Matters,” The Struggle to End Colonialism
You may also review two overtures related to Israel/Palestine that will come before the 227th General Assembly:
