We, the below-listed U.S. nongovernmental organizations are deeply concerned by media reports that the International Security Force (ISF) planned for Gaza under President Trump’s 20-Point Plan may include a military contingent from Azerbaijan, and urge the United States and other partners to reject such a presence. International third party security or peacekeeping forces can be an important element of post-conflict stabilization, but as the performance of certain militaries operating under the MONUSCO mission in Congo and the MINUSTAH mission in Haiti demonstrate, it is vital that such forces bring both impartiality and a track record of respect for human rights.

We, leaders representing Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, come together united by the profound belief that all human beings are created in the image of God. In this conviction, we affirm the inherent dignity, equality, and worth of every person, regardless of religion, nationality, or ethnicity. This belief calls us to speak with urgency, compassion, and moral clarity in response to the ongoing devastation in Gaza and the broader Middle East.

Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Leaders Demand Intervention, Accountability, an End to the Atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank, and an End to All Violence.

As organizations committed to civil society and open civic space, we, the undersigned, are gravely concerned by the U.S. government’s (USG) decision to impose sanctions under Executive Order (EO) 14203 against three leading Palestinian human rights organizations — Al-Haq: Law in the Service of Man (Al-Haq), Al Mezan Center for Human Rights (Al-Mezan), and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) — for engaging with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to seek investigations into war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza. These sanctions create a chilling effect on humanitarian and human rights work in Gaza and undermine the abilities of civil society actors to pursue accountability under international law.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomes the news that hostages and Palestinian prisoners are being released as part of the current ceasefire agreement. Since the tragic events of October 7, 2023, CMEP has called daily for the release of all hostages and prisoners held without due process, an end to the violence, and a commitment to protecting every human life. We acknowledge this development as a positive step in the right direction and as a sign that progress toward peace remains possible, even in the midst of immense suffering. We celebrate alongside families reunited who have longed to have their loved ones home.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomes the implementation of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas with cautious optimism. After nearly two years of relentless warfare, widespread destruction, and devastating loss of life, we pray this agreement marks a turning point toward peace, justice, and healing for all who call the Holy Land home.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, nearly 50 ships carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza, has been violently attacked by Israeli forces in international waters, with hundreds of peaceful activists arrested. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) condemns these illegal assaults, calls for the immediate release of all detainees and aid, and urges an end to the siege and ongoing massacres in Gaza.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) affirms the call of Jerusalem’s church leaders and stands in solidarity with the Armenian Patriarchate. The renewed foreclosure threat is a direct challenge to the centuries-old Status Quo that safeguards Christian communities in the Holy Land and risks undermining Jerusalem’s religious diversity and heritage.

On August 6, 2025, the Jerusalem Municipality froze the bank accounts of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. This action is deeply troubling, both in its immediate impact and in its broader implications. It constitutes a direct violation of the historic Status Quo that has governed Jerusalem for centuries and threatens the ability of the Churches to provide vital spiritual, educational, charitable, and social services to their communities.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is appalled by the alarming escalation of violence across the Middle East over the past week in the ongoing battle between Israel and Hamas. Civilians pay the highest price. The violence must stop, and the ongoing killing must be brought to an end. The cycle of brutality continues to devastate lives, fueling greater insecurity and suffering for all.

45 Humanitarian and civil society organizations warn that Israel’s assault on Gaza City amounts to a death sentence. Intensified Israeli military attacks on Gaza City and forced displacement orders for the entire city are leaving families with an impossible dilemma: flee and risk death on the road and in overcrowded displacement areas, or stay and face relentless bombardment in their shelters.

Churches for Middle East Peace affirms the joint statement from the Greek Orthodox and Latin Patriarchates of Jerusalem as a cry from the heart of the Christian community in the Holy Land, a prophetic voice of truth spoken amid unbearable suffering. Their words remind us that what is unfolding in Gaza is not an abstraction, but the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children, including the faithful who have sought refuge within the very walls of the Church. The Patriarchates’ declaration that there can be “no future based on captivity, displacement of Palestinians or revenge” is both a moral compass and a summons to the global conscience.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joined twenty church-based organizations in calling for Israel to halt its planned military offensive in Gaza City. With famine already declared in Gaza, further military operations will only cause further suffering and death for a civilian population without anywhere else to go. As the letter reads, “this displacement will result in a modern-day death march that is clearly intended to ethnically cleanse half of the Gaza Strip and compress all of Gaza’s population into a tiny sliver of territory incapable of sustaining life.” The letter calls on all parties, including the United States, to use all leverage available to call upon the Israeli government to reverse its plans for a military offensive in Gaza City and to instead pursue a durable and lasting ceasefire.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) laments the famine conditions in Gaza and uplifts the UN official declaration of famine announced on Friday, August 22, 2025. This is not a natural disaster; this famine is entirely man-made. It is the direct result of the Israeli government’s systematic restriction of humanitarian aid, a policy that amounts to the deliberate starvation of a civilian population. Friday’s famine confirmation shows the world has failed to act.

CMEP stands in solidarity with the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem following the horrific attacks on Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City by “local outlaw bands” and an Israeli drone strike, which resulted in 7 casualties. CMEP affirms that healthcare facilities must be protected as areas of refuge and decries Israel’s systemic targeting of these facilities. The international community must act decisively to uphold the sanctity of healthcare in Gaza.

Together with more than 100 organizations, CMEP is calling for an end to Israel’s weaponization of aid. Despite claims by Israeli authorities that there is no limit on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, most major international NGOs have been unable to deliver a single truck of lifesaving supplies since 2 March.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) strongly condemns reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is advancing plans for a full military takeover of Gaza City. Such an operation would deepen an already unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, devastate what remains of civilian life in northern Gaza, and place the remaining hostages in grave danger.

CMEP strongly condemns the renewed settler attack on the Christian village of Taybeh in the occupied West Bank on July 28, 2025, just three weeks after the July 7 arson attempt near the Church of Saint George. We affirm and elevate the powerful statement from the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches of Jerusalem and the Forum of Holy Land Christians, who have once again sounded the alarm about the ongoing campaign of settler violence, this time involving masked men torching cars and defacing property with hateful graffiti. These repeated assaults are not isolated incidents but part of a systematic effort to terrorize the last all-Christian town in the West Bank and drive Palestinian Christians from their ancestral homeland.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joins more than 100 humanitarian and human rights organizations in sounding the alarm over the catastrophic starvation crisis in Gaza. This joint statement urges governments to take immediate and decisive action to end Israel’s aid siege, open all land crossings, restore the full flow of humanitarian aid, and demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire. CMEP condemns the killings of Gazans seeking aid, of which the death toll now reaches 875. Immediate access to life-saving aid is imperative as children, the elderly, and the most vulnerable suffer from disease, malnutrition, and starvation. The ongoing, deliberate starvation of civilians amounts to an international war crime and elicits global moral outrage. This must end now.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) denounces in the strongest possible terms the Israeli military attack today on the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City, the only Catholic church in Gaza. The strike killed at least three civilians and caused extensive damage to the parish complex, which has been sheltering approximately 700 displaced civilians, mostly children, since the beginning of the war. This most recent attack marks the sixth assault on churches in Gaza since October 2023. Each of these attacks is in clear violation of international law, as humanitarian refuges and holy sites are both protected, and an attack on human dignity and freedom of worship.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) rejects the Israeli government’s plan to forcibly establish humanitarian camps atop the ruins of the city of Rafah. This proposal would displace and confine more than 600,000 Palestinians, restricting their freedom of movement and coercively removing them from Gaza. Forced displacement is a clear violation of international law. CMEP calls upon the global church, the international community, and the U.S. government to hold the Israeli government accountable and stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.    

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) condemns the violent July 11, 2025 settler attack in the West Bank. Tragically, Sayfollah Musallet, a 20-year-old Palestinian American, and Mohammad Shalabi, a 23-year-old Palestinian were brutally killed. This deadly settler attack is not an isolated incident. Attacks in the West Bank have only been increasing, leading to the deaths of at least 7 American citizens. CMEP mourns the lives lost and demands accountability, justice, and the immediate launch of an investigation by the American government.    

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) elevates the recent statement made by the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Churches of Jerusalem condemning the latest settler attack against the Christian community of Taybeh. We mourn the lives lost and the homes and churches burned. Intimidation and violence against Christian communities in the Holy Land has been steadily increasing due to intensified Israeli efforts to establish settlements. CMEP urges the international community to act against these atrocities and support the continued presence of Christians in the Holy Land.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) strongly condemns the most recent attack by Israeli settlers on the Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh on July 7, 2025, where settlers set fire to the town cemetery and church. This act of violence represents an assault not just on the historically Christian town but on the sustainability of the indigenous Christian presence in the Holy Land.

CMEP joins twenty-four other civil society organizations in calling for the release of the unlawfully detained Palestinian medical workers in Gaza and the West Bank. This includes doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals working for international humanitarian organizations such as MedGlobal and Children Not Numbers. Under International Humanitarian Law, healthcare workers are protected as civilians; However, many healthcare workers are being forcibly removed from hospitals and detained under dubious conditions. CMEP affirms the call to end arbitrary detentions and attacks on medical facilities, such as the repeated bombings on the Al-Ahli Hospital, as well as the release of those who are being unjustly detained. Healthcare workers belong in hospitals, not prisons.

200+ NGOs call for immediate action to end the deadly Israeli distribution scheme (including the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation) in Gaza, revert to the existing UN-led coordination mechanisms, and lift the Israeli government’s blockade on aid and commercial supplies. The 400 aid distribution points operating during the temporary ceasefire across Gaza have now been replaced by just four military-controlled distribution sites, forcing two million people into overcrowded, militarized zones where they face daily gunfire and mass casualties while trying to access food and are denied other life-saving supplies.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joined 19 National Christian Denominations and Organizations in a letter to Congress supporting the Iran War Powers Resolutions (S.J.Res.59 and H.Con.Res.38), introduced by Senator Kaine and Representatives Khanna and Massie.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, and we urge all parties to uphold this fragile but essential step toward de-escalation. We commend efforts by regional and international actors who helped broker this cessation of hostilities and strongly encourage all parties, including the United States, to ensure the ceasefire holds. Any further provocations or violations risk reigniting a dangerous new round of violence that could engulf the region in wider war.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) mourns the devastating suicide bombing that took place at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Prophet Elias in Damascus, Syria, on June 23, 2025. We stand in deep solidarity with Syria’s Christian community—our brothers and sisters in Christ—who have endured generations of hardship, especially over the past 14 years of war, displacement, and persecution. We lift our prayers for the victims and their families, and for the safety of all Christians in Syria who, despite enormous challenges, continue to courageously keep the faith alive in the very land where Jesus walked. The presence of the Christian community is a sacred and vital part of Syria’s cultural and religious fabric. Christians and all minority groups must be protected.

CMEP condemns in the strongest possible terms Israel’s recent attacks on Iran, including reported strikes near nuclear facilities and within civilian areas. These reckless and unlawful actions risk the lives of hundreds of millions of people across the Middle East and escalate the threat of a catastrophic regional war. We also call on Iran to cease its counterattacks against Israel. Military solutions are not the answer and will only cause more death, destruction, and harm. Such escalations not only cause civilian deaths but further destabilize the entire peace and security of the region.

CMEP stands in solidarity with the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and elevates its powerful statement condemning the Israeli military’s attack on Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City on June 5th, 2025. This egregious assault, resulting in the deaths of five individuals, including three journalists and a father escorting his injured child, and injuring dozens more, underscores the urgent need for the international community to uphold the protections afforded to medical facilities, journalists, and civilians under international humanitarian law. CMEP echoes the Diocese’s call for accountability, for the safeguarding of Gaza’s remaining hospitals, and for urgent international action to bring an end to the violence. As people of faith, we join in collective prayer and advocacy for the healing of the wounded, the release of all captives, and a just and lasting peace for all in the Holy Land.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joins with His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros, Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, in expressing deep concern and sorrow over the recent judicial decision by Egyptian authorities that threatens the property and spiritual mission of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai.Elevates the Statement of Archbishop Elpidophoros press release

Nearly three months into Israel’s total siege on Gaza, humanitarian conditions have deteriorated beyond crisis levels. A recent survey of NGOs found widespread obstruction of aid, with two-thirds unable to reach communities in need and one-third reporting staff killed or injured. In the West Bank, escalating settler violence and military restrictions have made nearly half of aid delivery efforts impossible, deepening an already catastrophic, man-made crisis.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) expresses its full support for the recent statement issued by Israeli human rights organizations calling for the immediate and unconditional end to Israel’s blockade on humanitarian aid to Gaza. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to allow “basic amounts of food” into Gaza resulted in only five aid trucks entering the besieged territory on the first day, Monday, May 19, 2025. While this gesture has been cited as a measure of relief, this token action falls woefully short amid the spiraling famine and widespread nutritional deficiencies facing the vast majority of Gaza’s population. CMEP calls on the U.S. government and the international community to exert urgent and sustained pressure on the Israeli government to end its policy of starvation and to immediately open all crossings for the unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid. We reject the U.S.-Israeli proposal to oversee limited aid distribution, as it fundamentally fails to meet the scale of need and does not adhere to internationally recognized humanitarian principles. The time for partial solutions has long passed—comprehensive, unimpeded aid access is both a moral and legal imperative.

CMEP’s executive director traveled to the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem for Holy Week from April 11 to 20, after leading a multi-faith delegation in Jordan and Egypt. Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Executive Director of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), visited numerous local church leaders to stand in solidarity with the Christian community in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel during Holy Week. Her visits included high-level meetings with Christian, Muslim, and Jewish community leaders and focused on ending the devastation and destruction in Gaza.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) emphasizes the recent statement from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, which affirms their deep commitment to solidarity with Christian partners in the Holy Land. During this historic Holy Week delegation, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Executive Director of CMEP, was honored to meet with Bishop Dr. Sani-Ibrahim Azar of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL). Their time together included meaningful dialogue about the ongoing witness of the Christian church in the region and how our respective ministries might deepen partnership in our shared mission to embody the love of Christ and pursue a just and lasting peace for all people in the Holy Land.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) calls for the preservation of the Armenian Christian community in Jerusalem, Nagorno/Karabakh, and around the world, as today marks 110 years since the beginning of the Armenian Genocide, during which 1.5 million Armenians were systematically killed by the Ottoman Empire. In addition, leaders of the Turkish Empire killed Greek, Assyrian, and other Christian minorities living under the Ottoman Empire during the early 20th century. On this solemn anniversary, CMEP joins the global Armenian community and Christians worldwide in remembrance and mourning. We honor the victims and their enduring legacy, remembering not only the lives lost but also the resilience of survivors and their descendants. More than a century later, the Armenian people are still awaiting full acknowledgment and accountability from the perpetrators of this crime against humanity.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joins millions of people around the world in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. We grieve the profound loss of a stalwart leader of the Christian faith—one whose moral clarity, deep compassion, and unrelenting pursuit of justice marked a generation.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon reports from her experience at the Holy Fire Service in Jerusalem on Saturday, April 19, 2025 in which Israeli authorities denied thousands of Christian pilgrims the right to worship. CMEP stands in solidarity with Christians in the Holy Land, condemning the egregious violations of religious freedom and amplifying the statement by the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem on the assaults against worshippers during Holy Fire Saturday.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joins 26 humanitarian aid and advocacy groups to shed light on the besieged state of Gaza and the West Bank. No aid has been allowed to enter Gaza in over six weeks. Increased military operations in the West Bank have displaced over 40,000 people, destroyed countless homes and businesses, and disrupted the flow of aid. The UN Secretary General referred to Gaza as an “endless death loop”. Along with a report detailing the conditions in Gaza and the West Bank, this snapshot calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

CMEP condemns in the strongest possible terms the bombing of Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza. Al-Ahli is an Anglican institution and one of the oldest, continuously operating hospitals in Gaza. It is Gaza’s only Christian hospital and its only cancer treatment center. The bombing of the Anglican Al-Ahli Arab Hospital is a violation of the sacredness of life and it is especially abhorrent during this sacred time for Christians.

CMEP condemns the tragic killing of 14-year-old American Palestinian Amir Rabee by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on April 6 and calls for an investigation into his death. The loss of this young life is an unspeakable tragedy and a devastating reminder of the human cost of ongoing violence and occupation. Such actions must never be accepted or normalized. The killing of children must stir moral outrage, not silence.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) stands in solidarity with the Patriarchs in Syria as they raise their voices against the horrific escalation of violence that has swept across portions of the country in recent days. CMEP unequivocally condemns these acts of violence and calls for an immediate end to the bloodshed.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) raises the alarm alongside 42 other humanitarian aid and advocacy organizations about the escalating violence and restrictions in the occupied West Bank and the unprecedented obstruction as Israeli forces and settlers intensify violence and movement restrictions. Since the pause in hostilities in Gaza on January 19, 2025, aid workers have encountered direct threats, while aid deliveries are routinely delayed or blocked by newly established checkpoints.

In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Christian communities in Jerusalem, particularly the renewed pressures surrounding the Arnona tax dispute and the breaking of the historic status quo. CMEP also affirms the concerns raised by the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem regarding the foreclosure threats against the Armenian Patriarchate. CMEP warns that these actions threaten the Christian presence in the Holy Land and urges U.S. and international intervention to protect religious freedom and the sacred nature of Jerusalem for all faiths.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is deeply alarmed by the ongoing Israeli military operations in the West Bank, including the recent large-scale offensive, the most extensive since the Second Intifada. According to the United Nations, these operations have displaced over 40,000 Palestinians. Additionally, the destruction of 11 buildings in Masafer Yatta is part of a continued effort to forcibly remove Palestinian communities from their land, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) vehemently opposes President Donald Trump’s recent comments advocating for the forced removal of the Palestinian population from Gaza. This is an open call for ethnic cleansing and a blatant violation of international and humanitarian law, as well as a fundamental affront to the sanctity of human life. Additionally, such language further undermines the current ceasefire, which the Trump Administration worked hard to secure and is directly responsible for ensuring all parties continue to adhere to its tenants through the completion of phase three of the deal.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), along with dozens of international humanitarian organizations, urgently calls upon the international community to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This comes as findings reveal the failure to implement critical provisional measures outlined by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) a year ago, resulting in unprecedented suffering among Palestinians.

The inauguration of President Trump marked the beginning of his administration, with promises of peace and unity in his inaugural speech. However, his initial actions, such as lifting sanctions on Israeli settlers and reintroducing heavy weaponry to conflict zones, contradict these commitments, prioritizing militarization over diplomacy. CMEP urges the Trump Administration to uphold the Gaza ceasefire, promote justice, and address the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through non-violent means. CMEP also highlights ongoing violence in the West Bank, Gaza, and Lebanon, calling for accountability and the protection of innocent lives amid escalating tensions and violations of ceasefire agreements.

After more than 15 months of devastating violence in Gaza and throughout the region, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomes with cautious optimism the recent announcement of a hostage and ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel. This long-overdue agreement brings a glimmer of hope that might end the suffering that has plagued Gaza for far too long, including the deaths of over 46,000 people and the devastation of famine and lack of humanitarian access. The Palestinian people of Gaza and all impacted by this ongoing violence deserve relief and the chance to rebuild their lives.