Published On 4/28/2026
American churches in more than 15 states are working jointly on a solidarity campaign with Palestinian female prisoners in particular and prisoners in Israeli occupation prisons in general, with the aim of focusing on supporting detainees and raising awareness within religious communities in the United States about the issue of prisoners.
The campaign – which has been ongoing for months – relied on sending postcards addressed to Palestinian female prisoners in the Israeli Damon prison, as part of a broader program called “Friends of Palestinian Prisoners,” which links religious groups in America with the families of Palestinian prisoners, to provide them with moral support.
In St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Washington, DC, church members of all ages sent postcards to 4 female prisoners, out of 90 Palestinian female prisoners in the occupation prisons, and 36 cards were sent within one month to Palestinian female prisoners.
Raising American awareness
In an interview with Al Jazeera, the main coordinator of the “Justice and Palestine” group in the church, Lindsey Jones Reno, said that the campaign is part of a broader movement within American churches to deal with the issue of Palestinian prisoners, adding that the initiative aims to show solidarity and raise awareness within American society about the conditions of detainees in Israeli occupation prisons.
According to the spokeswoman, the campaign relies on coordination between churches in different states, including Washington, DC, within a network that includes at least 14 religious teams in North America, with the aim of:
- Providing spiritual support to prisoners and their families.
- Pressure to change policies through communication with official and media bodies.
- Educating local communities about the conditions of detention of prisoners.
Israel learns from America
Jones-Reno stressed that the campaign was not limited to sending messages, but also included discussions within the church about the conditions of prisoners, and introductory workshops for members of the local community, adding that she feels responsible as an American who pays taxes.
She added, “Policies and tax dollars directly contribute to financing and creating oppressive conditions for Palestinians in this land that we read about, pray for, and build our entire faith on, and it is our responsibility to take action.”
One of the things that affects this woman is thinking about the captive mothers because she is a mother with two children. “The idea of the mother being separated from them and missing their birthdays and missing those important moments is very difficult.”
Jones-Reno considered her country a model followed by the Israeli occupation regarding prisons and punishments, saying that mass detention in the United States is largely linked to racial and ethnic discrimination, especially against people of color and immigrants, “and I believe that Israel is learning from us, and we see that in the new death penalty law that they approved.”
Israeli interception of messages
Although the postcards were sent, the coordinator of the “Justice and Palestine” group says that the available information indicates that the Israeli authorities intercepted the letters, and they did not reach the prisoners. However, she believes that the campaign achieves its goal of “conveying a message of solidarity and drawing attention to the issue.”
The initiative is not limited to card holders, as each participating church is linked to the family of a Palestinian prisoner, and is committed to communicating with them and providing them with continuous support, including including the names of the prisoners in the prayer lists in the churches.
According to its organizers, the campaign seeks to continue during the coming period by expanding the scope of awareness within the United States and linking the issue of Palestinian prisoners to broader issues related to detention systems and human rights.
