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.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joins the Episcopal Church in their call for an end to attacks against Gaza’s healthcare system. In recent days the al Ahli hospital in Gaza City, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, was hit by an Israeli strike causing further damage to the hospital which is already operating above capacity to respond to the ever-growing need for medical treatments.

In this FAQ CMEP uncovers the extent of armaments that the United States has sent Israel since October 7th. The report uncovers that the United States has sent Israel over 50,000 tons of armaments at an estimated value between 6-17 Billion USD. If every military equipment delivery to Israel from the United States were spaced out evenly in time, this would then translate to a shipment of military aid to Israel approximately every 13 hours over the past 332 days since October 7th, highlighting the scale of U.S. complicity in war crimes in Gaza. Read more in the report.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and other Humanitarian organizations express a profound concern over the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, as highlighted in the recently released Humanitarian Access Snapshot #8. CMEP urges the international community to act decisively to alleviate the suffering of Gaza’s people and uphold the principles of human dignity and justice.

During the Christmas Advent Season over 200 bishops and Christian leaders from more than 40 countries around the world unite to call for an end to all violence and arms sales to Israel. These Christian leaders assert that war is not the answer and that all weaponization and violence must cease, in order for diplomatic alternatives and nonviolent means of advocating for peace to flourish.

During the Christmas Advent Season over 200 bishops and Christian leaders from more than 40 countries around the world unite to call for an end to all violence and arms sales to Israel. These Christian leaders assert that war is not the answer and that all weaponization and violence must cease, in order for diplomatic alternatives and nonviolent means of advocating for peace to flourish. This is CMEP’s Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon’s cover letter to President Joe Biden.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) acknowledges the immense pain and suffering endured by the Syrian people under decades of rule by the Assad regimes, and of the past 14 years of war in the country. The devastating impacts of this prolonged conflict have left millions displaced, communities fractured, and hopes for peace and dignity unrealized. Thus, this moment presents an opportunity for a new beginning and a future in which all Syrians can live free from oppression with their dignity and freedom respected. CMEP opposes armed militancy as a mechanism of asserting power over the general populace and calls on the United States government to support a Syrian-led transition to an inclusive state, where the rights and protections of all individuals and communities are upheld.

On December 9, 2024, CMEP and 22 other humanitarian organizations marked the anniversary of the Genocide Convention by urging decisive global action to address the ongoing atrocities in Gaza. Despite the treaty’s commitment to uphold “never again” and a 2023 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling affirming the obligation to prevent genocide, the international community has failed to act meaningfully. The joint statement called for accountability, protection of civilians, and an end to violence, warning that inaction enables crimes to persist. As the signers emphasized, “History has shown that failing to act in the face of atrocity allows the unthinkable to become reality.” This day serves as a solemn reminder that words must be matched by action to uphold the principles of justice and human dignity.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomes the news of a ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel. We commend the cessation of hostilities and urge all parties to adhere strictly to the terms of the ceasefire. It is essential that this moment of respite leads to a sustained peace for all of the people of the region. We emphasize the urgent need for all parties to refrain from hostilities impacting civilians, particularly as families begin to return to their homes in both South Lebanon and Northern Israel. The safety and dignity of these individuals must remain a top priority.

Humanitarian aid entering Gaza has fallen to an all-time low. CMEP, along with dozens of other humanitarian organizations, outlines the dire conditions found in Gaza in this Humanitarian Snapshot. These include the direct targeting of aid workers and aid distribution points. Furthermore, tens of thousands of civilians are still trapped in Northern Gaza, which Israel has stated is a combat zone and will not allow aid to enter the region.

CMEP and dozens of other organizations call on President Biden to change the U.S. policy vis-a-vis Israel during the outgoing days of his presidential term. The letter calls on President Biden to acknowledge that the U.S. policy towards Israel has failed and further eroded U.S. interests in the region. It also calls on the President to hold Israel accountable before the law and halt weapons shipments until Israel properly facilitates the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Churches for Middle East Peace joined more than 150 international NGOs in calling for UN Member States to immediately secure a ceasefire in Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, and across the region. The statement makes clear that “Governments must do everything in their power to end this growing catastrophe and cycle of impunity. It is not only a moral imperative but a legal obligation.” A full copy of the statement and list of signatories is available here.

In the last few weeks, the people of the Middle East have seen the intensification of what has been a regional war for months involving Israel, the Palestinians, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and Yemen. The ongoing violence, especially Israel’s relentless aggression and bombardment of Lebanon, has resulted in the tragic loss of over 2,000 lives, including more than 100 women and children, as well as at least 28 healthcare and rescue workers and journalists. Its imminent invasion of Lebanon threatens to create a major humanitarian catastrophe.

Churches for Middle East Peace Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon joins 19 other Christian faith leaders in a letter to both Harris and Trump campaigns to express a shared deep concern regarding the ongoing injustice and violations of human rights in Israel/Palestine. The leaders write, “Even as our primary focus for months has been on calling for an immediate end to the violence in Gaza and throughout Israel/Palestine, we know more must be done by the United States government to work toward a just and permanent solution that addresses the core issues so that international human rights are upheld and the most vulnerable are protected. To that end, we offer the following recommendations for what we feel must be addressed by the next administration in their first 100 days in office.”

CMEP along with other Humanitarian and Aid organizations warn of the dire situation in Northern Gaza. The Israeli forces’ assault on Gaza has escalated to a horrifying level of atrocity. Northern Gaza is being wiped off the map. Under the guise of “evacuation,” Israeli forces have ordered the forced displacement of an estimated 400,000 Palestinians trapped in northern Gaza, including Gaza City. This is not an evacuation—this is forced displacement under gunfire. Since 1 October, no food has been allowed into the area, and civilians are being starved and bombed in their homes and their tents.

A year into the devastating war on Gaza the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to worsen. Medical supplies, hygiene kits, building supplies, fuel, and more continue to be in rare supply as Israel impedes aid deliveries.Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and leading humanitarian agencies outline the delay of aid distribution, safety concerns, forced displacement orders, and logistical constraints in this latest Humanitarian Snapshot.

As we commemorate this tragic anniversary, let us renew our commitment to peace, to the end of the occupation, and to a future where all people in the region can live in security, free from fear and repression, and with their full rights and dignity.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) supports last week’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution, which affirms the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) advisory opinion that calls for Israel to end its decades-long occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip within one year. This resolution represents the minimum required for any meaningful steps toward justice, peace, and reconciliation in the region.

CMEP joins other leading humanitarian groups in calling on all UN Member States to take urgent steps to protect people deprived of their liberty across the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel. This includes demanding that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is granted immediate and unfettered access to all detainees and hostages, to the full extent required by international humanitarian law. Full access must also be granted for independent human rights monitors, legal counsel, and family members.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and leading humanitarian agencies outline the death toll of the recent Israeli military operations including the largest and longest incursion into the West Bank in two decades as well as the September 10th strike on the designated “humanitarian” zone in Al-Mawasi which so far has killed 40 people.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) mourns the tragic killing of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a 26-year-old unarmed U.S. peace activist, by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) during a weekly protest against increased Israeli settlements in the West Bank town of Beita. According to eyewitness accounts, the shooting took place 30 minutes after the protest had disbanded. Aysenur, along with other international volunteers, were about 200 yards from the Israeli military when she was shot twice. Aysenur’s death is not an isolated incident; it is part of a disturbing pattern of U.S. citizens being killed or targeted by the IDF, with no justice or accountability in sight.

Since October 7, CMEP has continually called for the release of hostages taken captive into Gaza, as well as thousands of Palestinian prisoners held without due process of law. Our hearts go out to all families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives over the past ten-plus months. The value of every human life is sacred, and we mourn the loss of all lives caught in this ongoing conflict. We continue to demand the release of hostages who are held in Gaza and to call for an end to all violence between combatants and the Israeli military.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) unequivocally condemns the escalating violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and the ongoing illegal confiscation of Palestinian land. We stand in solidarity with Palestinian families facing dispossession and violence, as well as with those who have been wrongfully detained for defending their internationally recognized human rights.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and our 35 member communions stand in solidarity with the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in the urgent need in calling for an end to war, death, and destruction toward the promotion of life and peace. We pray alongside our Christian brothers and sisters in the Holy Land and especially those who continue to take refugee in the St.Porphyrius Orthodox Church and the Latin Family Catholic Church in Gaza after more than ten months of nearly constant bombardment, deprivation, and massive civilians deaths in Gaza.

RAMALLAH, 20 August 2024 – Aid agencies and medical professionals have joined forces to call urgently for a ceasefire to allow life-saving polio vaccinations to be administered to about 640,000 children aged under 10 following confirmation of the first case of polio in Gaza in 25 years, with reports of other suspected cases emerging. At least 50,000 children born during the past 10 months of hostilities are highly unlikely to have received any immunizations due to the collapsed health system, while older children among the one million children in Gaza will have had their regular vaccine schedules disrupted or halted by violence and displacement.

CMEP stands with the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in its criticism of the decision by the Israeli police to close and ban Christian worshipers from participating in the sacred services of the Feast of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor in Israel. The protection of religious practices and the freedom to worship for all people regardless of creed or belief is a fundamental principle of a democratic society.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and leading humanitarian agencies outline how new ‘evacuation orders’ and relentless airstrikes have forced the displacement of over 200,000 Palestinians since mid-July, many of whom had already been displaced multiple times. Israel’s ongoing blockade has only tightened, leaving aid convoys stranded and essential supplies inaccessible to the millions in need.

Intensified Israeli airstrikes in areas of Gaza where aid organizations are providing services, including Israeli-designated “humanitarian zones” have resulted in mass civilian deaths and further shrinking space to deliver life-saving assistance, warn 20 international aid and advocacy agencies including Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP).

Prior to Netanyahu Congressional Speech, 200+ Global Bishops and Christian Leaders Call World Leaders to Institute a Permanent Gaza Ceasefire, Halt of Arms Sales to Israel, and Prevent Broader Regional War

The closure of the hospital, the evacuation, and the declaration of the area as a red zone, in addition to the firing upon the ambulance, are all unacceptable violations of humanitarian international law. International law demands that health establishments and units, including hospitals, should not be attacked. In addition, the already vulnerable, the wounded and the sick, and those seeking shelter should not be placed in further harm or jeopardy.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) stands in solidarity with the Churches of the Holy Land as they undergo yet another attempt by Israeli municipalities to collect taxes on church-owned properties– a move that threatens the sustainability of the Churches to operate. CMEP recognizes the harm that these legal proceedings could cause to the ever-shrinking Christian community in this land. The Status Quo which has ensured religious freedom and harmony in the Holy Land must be protected.

The Episcopal Church is one of the founding members of CMEP’s 30-plus member communions committed to pursuing an end to the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. As the war on Gaza continues, we must not ignore the ongoing pressures Palestinians continue to face in other parts of the occupied Palestinian territories. CMEP stands with The Episcopal Church in advocating for the release of Layan Nasir, the Palestinian Christian woman who continues to be held unjustly in Israeli prison. We also call for an immediate end to the war on Gaza and for an immediate and sustained ceasefire, full humanitarian access, and the release of all hostages.

The undersigned NGOs urgently call on all permanent and elected members of the UN Security Council to enforce the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) orders regarding Israel’s actions in Rafah, Gaza. Immediate action is required to uphold international law and ensure the Government of Israel meets its obligations as mandated by the ICJ.

As an organization of Christian denominations and organizations committed to peace, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) calls on President Biden and his administration to do all that he can to advance efforts toward peace instead of war and further militarization that increases violence and causes immeasurable death and destruction. The United States government must do all that is possible to protect and preserve human life, especially innocent civilians, to honor and protect the humanity of all people who are created in the image of God instead of enabling more actions that will inevitably lead to more suffering, inhumanity, and pain.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomes recent remarks from President Biden indicating he would stop the transfer of offensive U.S.-sourced arms to Israel, should they proceed with an invasion into Rafah’s population centers. This follows the decision by the Biden Administration to pause at least one shipment of U.S. weapons slated to be delivered to Israel over concerns they could be used in an invasion of Rafah. For months, CMEP – along with Christian leaders from across the country and globe – has called for a demilitarization of the conflict and for halting arms sales to Israel. Human rights groups have already documented how Israel has used U.S.-supplied weapons in violation of humanitarian and human rights law throughout Gaza.

As the deadly violence in Gaza stretches into the seventh month, student protests are sweeping college campuses across the country, calling on college administrations and universities to divest from companies that profit from Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Many of the groups are also using their encampments to highlight that: many Palestinians in Gaza have been killed or injured including students and academics, most Palestinians in Gaza are displaced and living in tents, all of Gaza’s universities have been destroyed, and Palestinian academics in Israel are being targeted for harassment. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) admires the students’ commitment to highlighting the realities unfolding in Gaza.

In May 2024, when this letter is being released, we continue to plead for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and adherence to international law by all parties. 71% of U.S. Catholics support a Gaza ceasefire, echoing the position of Pope Francis, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Society of Jesus, and other U.S. Catholic organizations and leaders. As of this letter’s publication, over 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza–– the majority civilians––have been killed by Israel’s military assault marked by indiscriminate bombing. We mourn each life lost. Tens of thousands more are severely injured without access to adequate medical care; half of Gazans are facing famine; and most have been displaced from their homes, 70% of which have been destroyed. We are also deeply concerned about the recent spike in attacks and killings of Palestinians in the West Bank by Israeli soldiers and settlers.

We are in regular contact with Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land who face difficult, life-threatening situations at the hands of military authorities and a judicial system that methodically and systematically discriminates against Palestinians according to legal and human rights groups. At this time, we would like to bring three recent cases to your attention: Shadi Khoury, Professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, and Layan Nasir.

In late October 2023, a network of Palestinian Christian institutions located throughout Israel/Palestine published “An Open Letter from Palestinian Christians to Western Church Leaders and Theologians.”–a clarion call for Western church leaders and theologians to repent of our active support or passive acceptance of the oppression of Palestinian people. On April 9, 2024, a group of us, Christian leaders and theologians from across the Global North and South, issued the following response. Our statement of confession, repentance and solidarity did not aim to repent on behalf of “the Western church.” Rather, we issued this response on our own behalf.

The undersigned members of the Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA) urgently call upon the international community to intervene and halt settler attacks targeting Palestinian civilians and protect Palestinian communities near illegal settlements. The International NGO Community urges international actors to hold the Government of Israel accountable for persistently failing to prevent these attacks, forcibly transferring Palestinians, and expropriating large swathes of land in the occupied West Bank.

In response to the April 14th Iranian attack against Israel, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) urgently calls for all parties to de-escalate and take actions to ensure this latest crisis does not lead to a broader regional war that will only serve to further empower extremists, deepen divisions, and bring death and suffering to more innocent lives.

An open call to all UN Member States to stop fueling the crisis in Gaza and avert further humanitarian catastrophe and loss of civilian life. We, the undersigned organisations, call on all States to immediately halt the transfer of weapons, parts, and ammunition to Israel and Palestinian armed groups while there is risk they are used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law.

CMEP calls for an international investigation and accountability for the death of the WCK aid workers and calls on international governments to demand international law be applied in the distribution of aid in the Gaza Strip.

We invite you to sign the call for comprehensive ceasefire and prevention of violence in Gaza, Israel, and the West Bank. Enough Killing. Sign now.

In a new letter released during Holy Week ahead of Easter, more than 140 Bishops and executive leaders from churches, denominations, and church-based organizations in the US and around the world call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, urge the US and other world powers to halt additional arms sales to Israel, and make clear that Israel, the US, and all countries must abide by Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The letters’ signers include a US Catholic Bishop, a Catholic Cardinal, the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church, an Anglican Dean, and many other notable figures from a wide range of churches, including Catholic, Lutheran, Mennonite, Quaker, and Evangelical leaders. CMEP has forwarded this critical letter directly President Biden and his team with this cover letter.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joins the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem in condemning the atrocious and despicable events yesterday that caused the deaths and injuries of so many civilians in Gaza seeking aid and humanitarian assistance. We pray for the sustainability of our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Holy Land and that all who have suffered and experienced trauma from the atrocities of the October 7th attacks, the violence between warring parties, and the ongoing injustices of decades of occupation might be brought comfort and healing.

We mourn the staggering loss of life that we continue to witness. We fervently pray and work for an end to the assault on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. We call upon the US government to cease sending additional military to Israel, to support and press for an immediate ceasefire, to ensure the provision and delivery of necessary humanitarian aid, to work for a just and lasting peace that ensures the rights of all involved, and to hold Israel accountable to US laws and for the deaths of American citizens.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon joined 22 church-based denominational leaders in a letter to President Biden. Several signatories of the letter were in Washington, DC where they delivered the letter during meetings with staff at the State Department Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and with Ambassador Rashad Hussain, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom.

On Saturday, February 3rd, a Christian priest and head of Dormition Abbey, Father Nikodemus Schnabel, was spit on by Israeli settlers while wearing clerical garb and a cross pendant by Zion Gate (or Bab al-Nabi Daoud) in the Old City of Jerusalem. CMEP strongly condemns these acts of violence against Christians occurring in the Holy Land.

CMEP joins 24 other organizations in calling on Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo “to suspend all firearms exports to Israel and implement strong firearms export controls globally.” These humanitarian, faith, and advocacy organizations are calling out, raising their concern over “the violence and human rights violations that have and will continue to occur as a result of these exports.”

As Americans, we are horrified by the devastating civilian toll in the Israel-Gaza war and deeply concerned about the potential for escalation of the war and crisis in Yemen. We agree with your goal of avoiding an expanded conflict, and urge you to reject calls to launch attacks on Yemeni forces or impose new sanctions that could harm Yemen’s peace process. We believe the best path forward is for your administration to work diplomatically to reach an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a regional de-escalation.

CMEP joins the Episcopal Church in condemning “the repeated attacks on hospitals and targeting of medical workers, just as we condemn all actions throughout this conflict that kill and wound innocent civilians, especially babies and children, the elderly, and other medically vulnerable people.”

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) strongly denounces the United States’ persistent and shameful opposition to a comprehensive ceasefire. Sadly, this is yet another example of the United States actively preventing the United Nations from taking action in support of a ceasefire, having already vetoed several resolutions concerning Israel’s war in Gaza since October 7th.

With the temporary pause in violence having ended, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) condemns the escalating violence in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza that is having devastating effects on civilians. The Biden Administration’s reluctance to support a comprehensive ceasefire and its consistent practice of publicly articulating empty rhetoric about the protection of civilians is abhorrent as Israel continues its destructive bombardment on the Gaza Strip and more than 170 have died in the first 24 hours.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joins 68 Bishops and Executive Leaders from churches and denominations from across the world to convey the desperate need for the government of Israel to end the bombing campaign and ground invasion of Gaza immediately.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomed the recent announcement of the agreement between Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government in Israel and Hamas concerning the release of 50 hostages and a parallel prisoner exchange, in addition to the desperately needed few days of cessation of violence. This is a critical step in helping to stop further suffering, but much more must be done.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) urgently raises concerns regarding the sustainability of the Christian community in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza in light of Israel’s ongoing military and settler violence. Presently, hundreds of Christians are sheltering in the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City. As the collective punishment of the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza persists, those sheltering are quickly running out of food and other necessities.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) affirms the November 10th statement of the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, which suggests “foregoing any unnecessarily festive activities” this year as Christians around the world stand in solidarity with those in the Holy Land. We are “standing in support of those continuing to suffer” as we continue to call for a ceasefire to allow immediate and adequate assistance to the citizens of Gaza.

In a November 9, 2023 letter to President Biden, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and thirty American Church-based leaders called on President Biden and his Administration to support an immediate ceasefire, de-escalation, and restraint by all involved.

The devastating October 7 murder of nearly 1,400 Israelis and internationals by Hamas does not justify the displacement of 1.5 million people, more than sixty percent of the population, in Gaza – many of whom are refugees already; the indiscriminate impact upon civilians by large-scale bombing; the destruction of hospitals, churches, cultural centers, and other infrastructure. According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the death toll in Gaza as of November 2 is 9,061, more than 60 percent of whom are women and children. The total number of Palestinian children killed totals 3,760. The mass slaughter of civilians by any party to the conflict is unacceptable and must stop. The lives of all people, be they Israelis or Palestinians, must be protected.

Washington, DC – On Thursday, November 2 at 12:30 PM, Catholic and other Christian peacemakers will conduct a “pray-in” near Lafayette Park outside the White House to call on President Joe Biden, a Catholic, to abide by Jesus’s way of courageous love and heed Pope Francis’s plea to take the side of peace, and urge all parties to de-escalate hostilities; abide by an immediate ceasefire; and release all hostages.

The war in Israel and Palestine must be brought to an end. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) calls for an immediate ceasefire, an end to all violence, and a rapid and substantial increase in the delivery of lifesaving aid to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of people in Gaza. CMEP calls on Hamas to release all hostages and do no harm to those still remaining. CMEP also calls on the international community and the United States to stop supporting further militarization and pursue every alternative means to protect all Israeli and Palestinian civilians.

CMEP affirms and echoes the call of The Patriarchs and the Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem’s condemnation of the attack against a sacred place at the Orthodox Church compound of Saint Porphyrius in Gaza on the night of October 19, 2023. CMEP furthermore supports their call upon the international community to immediately enforce protections in Gaza for Sanctuaries of Refuge, such as hospitals, schools, and houses of worship.

CMEP reiterates that even during times of active hostilities, all efforts must be made to protect religious institutions.

While the United Nations reports the convoy includes ready-to-eat food, development experts on the ground in Gaza have communicated to CMEP concerns that at least some of the food in the trucks waiting in convoy in Egypt would need to be cooked, requiring water, gas, and/or electricity to which displaced people in Gaza do not have access. . . . Water is not getting to people in Southern Gaza because there is no electricity to pump water through the system and because there is so much damage to pipelines because of extensive bombing.

CMEP issued a statement expressing sadness and outrage at the bombing of Al Ahli Hospital and agrees this attack is a “profound transgression against the very principles held by humanity.” We stand in solidarity with the churches of the Holy Land and the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and call for people to respond through Prayer, Giving, and Action.

Today, Christians around the world followed the call of the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem for a day of prayer and fasting for peace and reconciliation and an end to the war between Israel and Hamas. Even as we pray, we find ourselves confronting immense pain and a devastating death toll after the bombing of Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, an Anglican hospital in Gaza. Al-Ahli Arab Hospital has provided a critical and courageous ministry of health care provision to serve the people of Gaza for many years.

CMEP and our member communions call for the world not to ignore the catastrophic crisis happening in Gaza.

CMEP affirms the statement on the Escalating Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza from the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) continues to grieve the devastating loss of life in Israel/Palestine. As the numbers of those killed and injured climb, we ask people of faith to remain committed to praying and working toward an immediate end to the violence. Yet, cessation of conflict will not automatically bring justice. Without attention to the core systemic issues of the war and the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territory, there will be no real peace. At a time when the rush by governments will be for more military responses, CMEP prays for the de-escalation of violence to prevail. We urge an escalation of diplomatic efforts by the United States, through the United Nations, and other regional bodies. Too many people are already grieving the loss of loved ones.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is deeply grieved by the news coming out of Israel and Gaza today. CMEP condemns all acts of violence against civilians that have occurred in the past twenty-four hours, as fighting has escalated between Hamas and Israel. As of late Saturday (EDT), reports indicated that hundreds have been killed and thousands wounded, both Israelis and Palestinians. CMEP mourns with the victims of the violence and their families.

On September 11, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joined several Christian denominational leaders in a letter to President Biden highlighting “deep concern” for Holy Land Christians before his September 20 meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. CMEP recognizes the deep roots and significance of Jerusalem and holy sites throughout Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories as sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Tragically, today in the region, all three Abrahamic faith traditions are not given equal access and protection. In light of recent escalating attacks on Palestinian Christian clergy and holy sites under the current Israeli government, CMEP is especially concerned about the sustainability and protection of the historic Christian community.

CMEP opposes Israel’s admittance into the U.S. Visa Waiver Program given Israel’s ongoing discriminatory treatment of Americans of Arab and/or Palestinian descent who try to enter ports of entry that Israel controls. We join members of Congress and civil society leaders who call for continued monitoring to verify that all United States travelers are being treated equally. Should discriminatory behaviors continue, we call on the Biden Administration to revisit Israel’s participation in the Visa Waiver Program.

CMEP supports international humanitarian efforts and calls on the United States government to support policies that will contribute toward the negotiated settlement of the disputed territories while ensuring the essential humanitarian needs of civilians living in the region are met. CMEP affirms the U.S. comments at the United Nations, voicing concern that “the closure of the Lachin Corridor” and “access to food, medicine, and baby formula should never be held hostage.”

On Monday, July 24th, the Government of Israel passed legislation limiting their judicial system’s authority in relation to the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), hindering the government’s balance of powers and possibly limiting further accountability for human rights issues. This legislation cancels the “reasonableness” clause, which allowed the judicial system to block Knesset decisions and appointments they deemed unreasonable and contrary to public interest.

Over a year ago, Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed while reporting on the Israeli military’s invasion of a refugee camp in Jenin in the occupied West Bank. It is widely accepted by many media and human rights institutions, based on available witness testimony and forensic video and audio analysis, that Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by an Israeli soldier. We mourn the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh and renew our call for justice and accountability for her death.

Today, 25 major civil society organizations, led by the UNRWA USA National Committee (UNRWA USA), sent a letter to House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member James Risch, urging their immediate release of $75 million in food assistance provided in the FY2023 State, Foreign Operations appropriations bill for the West Bank and Gaza Strip, distributed through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

We, the undersigned 72 local and national organizations, write this letter to urgently request your immediate action in response to the escalating Israeli settler attacks that have occurred under the watch of the Israeli army. We also request a rapid crisis-response meeting with concerned local and national American organizations and organizers to discuss these pressing issues.

Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA) calls on the international community to prioritize the protection of Palestinian communities with particular attention to women, and children. Immediate action is needed to address the escalating violence and mitigate its impact. CMEP is an observer member of AIDA and joins over 100 NGOs in I/P denouncing the attack on Jenin in this Public Statement.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) condemns the attack on Jenin that started yesterday and has killed at least 10 Palestinians and wounded 100, including civilians. The year 2023 has already become the deadliest year for West Bank Palestinians since 2005. We call on the US government to take diplomatic actions to prevent further escalations and loss of life.

“While we remain committed to our work, including outreach to churches and Christians across the United States and education and advocacy in Washington, D.C., several things have happened in the region that have captured our attention. We should be aware, in prayerful reflection, and committed to strategically responding to these current realities.”

CMEP condemns the recent Israeli air strikes in Gaza. CMEP grieves the loss of Palestinian lives that resulted from the most recent air strikes in densely populated areas, and calls for an immediate end to the violence.

CMEP Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon joined 28 other Christian faith leaders in a statement in support of the Christian community in the Holy Land.

CMEP condemns the alarming increase in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank by Israeli authorities and settlers. Every day brings news of new violations, killings, and provocations.

Early on the morning of February 6, the region surrounding Gaziantep in Southern Türkiye was hit with a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, followed by a second earthquake nine hours later with a magnitude of 7.5. Since then, there have been well over a hundred aftershocks, with many more expected in the coming weeks and months.

CMEP condemns the violence and attacks being reported over the last two days in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt). We grieve the loss of both Israeli and Palestinian lives and call on the US government to do everything possible to bring an end to the violence.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) continues to be dismayed by the escalation of violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem and its devastating impact on children. CMEP calls on Palestinian and Israeli leaders to protect children and pursue peace.

In the letter the leaders write, “After more than four months, no adequate investigation has been conducted. Particularly because Ms. Abu Akleh was a U.S. citizen deserving of the full protection of her rights by her government, the U.S. government must ensure that those responsible for her death are held fully accountable and that any role U.S. defense materials or services might have had in her killing is thoroughly documented.”

CMEP calls on the US government to press the Israeli government to de-escalate tensions by reigning in settler violence and reassessing its rules of engagement and use of force guidelines in confrontations with Palestinians.

CMEP welcomes the ongoing efforts of the Biden Administration to restore vital funding for Palestinian humanitarian needs that had been cut during the previous administration.

CMEP calls for an immediate end to the attacks on the Armenian border and the violence centering around the region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

CMEP condemns the August 18th raid on seven Palestinian civil society organizations (CSOs) and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Ramallah, West Bank and urges the United States State Department to join the nine European states which have formally rejected the designation of these organizations as terrorist.

CMEP calls on the US government to work to preserve the ceasefire and to insist Israel ends its 15-year blockade of Gaza, an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe, and an act of collective punishment that has turned Gaza into the world’s largest open-air prison. The U.S. must stop enabling Israeli impunity in violating human rights and humanitarian law, and instead, work toward a comprehensive and enduring end to the conflict that will result in human rights and equality for all Israelis and Palestinians.

CMEP calls on the Biden Administration to condemn this new legal precedent, potentially legalizing settlement outpost expansion.

CMEP laments that the visit of President Joe Biden to Israel and Palestine did little to advance the cause of peace. While affirming the U.S.-Israel relationship and the billions of dollars of U.S. assistance that go with it, the President said almost nothing about the abuses committed by Israel with that assistance against Palestinians.

Churches for Middle East Peace joined 16 other Christian Faith groups in a letter to Congressional leaders in support of Rep. Carson’s amendment to the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that requires the State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

CMEP Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon joined twenty-four other national Faith leaders in a letter to President Biden requesting his administration rejoin the Iran Deal.

CMEP welcomes the decision by the United States government to upgrade its Palestinian Affairs Unit (PAU) to a more independent Office of Palestinian Affairs (OPA) as a good first step toward the re-establishment of a Consulate General in East Jerusalem.

CMEP opposes such unlawful incursions and stands with the Greek Orthodox Church as it defends its rights and the rights of Palestinian Christians.

The resolution, which was put forth by Representatives Jayapal, DeFazio, Schiff, and Mace, calls for an end to U.S. involvement in the war on Yemen.

CMEP calls on the United States to ensure a fair and independent investigation into Abu Akleh’s murder and to hold the responsible parties accountable.

CMEP welcomes a bipartisan Congressional letter urging the protection of religious freedom in Jerusalem, organized by Reps. Castro (D-TX) and Bilirakis (R-FL) and signed by Reps. McGovern (D-MA), Harris (R-MD), Hill (R-A

CMEP Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, joined 24 other Christian Faith leaders in a letter to all members of Congress in support of HR 2590, The Palestinian Children and Families Act. The letter was made public during a virtual event featuring Congresswoman McCollum and Christian faith leaders, including three from Minnesota, on Tuesday, April 26. The video of the event is viewable here.

CMEP calls on Secretary Blinken and the Biden Administration to support the Status Quo at Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount and protect the religious freedom of all who call Jerusalem holy.

CMEP joined over 60 National Organizations in a letter to Congress calling for an end to all U.S. support for the war in Yemen.

CMEP stands in solidarity with the sacred churches of Jerusalem, opposes the police restrictions, and prays for the safety and the ability of all spiritual pilgrims to be able to worship freely in Jerusalem during this holy season.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) stands in solidarity with the sacred churches of Jerusalem and condemns this illegal capture of the hotel.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) calls on the Biden Administration and Congress to support fair and equitable urban development opportunities for Palestinians and to ensure the displacement of Palestinians in Al-Walaja does not proceed.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) condemns the murder of four Israelis in Beersheba by an Israeli citizen of Bedouin ethnicity, who had previously been affiliated with ISIS.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) calls attention to the ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon and recognizes the crisis as one of the greatest economic catastrophes of our time. CMEP lauds the US and European Catholic Bishops for their message and stands with them in their support of the church and the people of Lebanon.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joins these church leaders in calling for the withdrawal of this plan.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joins civil society organizations to urge Congress to publicly oppose a Foreign Terrorist Designation (FTO) of the Houthis in Yemen and communicate their opposition to the Biden administration.

CMEP joins 17 Civil Society Groups in Thanking Biden Administration for Restoring Funding to UNRWA.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) calls for prayer for the Nassar Family and the Tent of Nations after yesterday’s horrific incident. On the afternoon of January 28th, a large group of masked men carrying sticks and iron bars attacked Daoud and Daher Nassar when Daoud was feeding the chickens. A friend of the Tent of Nations witnessed the attack, and the attackers fled when they saw her.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) strongly condemns the demolition of the Salhiya family home and urges the Biden Administration to intervene to end the forced displacement of Palestinians from Sheikh Jarrah.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) celebrates the January 8, 2022 release of Coptic Christian activist Ramy Kamel after he spent two years being held in pre-trial detention in Egypt.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) remains committed to supporting the sustainability of Christianity in the Middle East in general, and in particular to promoting a shared Jerusalem by Palestinians and Israelis.

Churches for Middle East Peace joined 46 organizations urging members of Congress to oppose the Biden administration’s $650 million arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The letter also expressed support for the joint resolutions of disapproval introduced by Rep. Ilhan Omar and Sen. Rand Paul seeking to block the sales from proceeding.

CMEP joined the Friends Committee on National Legislation, Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), J Street, and the Arab American Institute (AAI) in urging Congress to support Sen. Bernie Sanders’ amendment to National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) calling for a report on the humanitarian impact of the blockade on the people of Gaza.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomes the Biden Administration’s opposition to recent actions of the Israeli Government, expressed publicly and privately in conversations between senior officials from both governments. In the past week, the Israeli Government has launched several provocative actions that individually and collectively are a threat to peace in Israel/Palestine. Should these stand, they would also undermine the Biden Administration’s stated policy opposing any unilateral measures that could damage the prospects for a two-state solution.

We write to you as Churches and church-based organizations to express our significant concerns about the recent Israeli decision to label key Palestinian human rights and civil society organizations as “terrorist organizations.” Our shock and anger echoes the concerns raised by groups like Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, and over twenty Israeli human rights and peace organizations.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) strongly opposes the Israeli Defense Ministry’s decision issued last week to declare six Palestinian human rights groups as terrorist organizations. The named organizations include: Addameer, al-Haq, Defense for Children International Palestine (DCIP), the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, the Bisan Center for Research and Development, and the Union of Palestinian Women Committees. Many of these human rights organizations work closely with the international community to develop Palestinian civil society, document human rights violations, and defend Palestinians in Israeli courts.

Last Thursday, September 23, the cause of peace won an important victory in the halls of the U.S. Congress on the road toward ending the years of war that have produced nothing but suffering for Yemen and the region. The House passed an amendment to the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), that CMEP supports and has worked for, to prohibit U.S. logistical support, intel sharing, maintenance, and spare parts for the Royal Saudi

CMEP acknowledges that the current financial crisis in Lebanon represents one of the greatest economic catastrophes of our time.

We, the undersigned non-governmental organizations focused variously on human rights, peacebuilding, and the protection of civilians, write in opposition to the United States government’s plans to sell $735 million in advanced weapons systems and munitions to Israel. The planned arms sales to Israel would send a signal of support for Israel’s recent conduct in occupied Gaza and East Jerusalem, which includes likely violations of international humanitarian law. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) applauds the much-needed ceasefire between the State of Israel and Hamas which began Friday, May 21. During the two weeks prior to the ceasefire, 12 Israelis and at least 230 Palestinians were killed. We uplift in prayer all families in Israel-Palestine who are mourning the loss of loved ones. Every moment without bombings and rockets saves innocent lives. Read More

Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Executive Director of CMEP, joined more than 50 other church leaders from North America and Europe calling on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to secure an immediate ceasefire to the current violence in Israel/Palestine. The letter also urges the UNSC “to act immediately to address the continuing underlying causes of injustice that will otherwise remain a constant threat to peace in the Holy Land: occupation, land dispossession, displacement, and the withholding of basic human rights we take for granted.” Read More

The U.S. cannot play a positive role in helping to bring a peaceful end to the conflict in Israel/Palestine where all people living in the land are treated equally and with respect unless we can acknowledge the primary drivers of the ongoing occupation and use diplomatic pressure to help to bring about its end. Read More

If carried out, these demolitions and forced displacement actions will cause untold suffering for Palestinians and undermine the prospects of a just and lasting peace for all. Read More

On this Armenian Remembrance Day (Meds Yeghern), CMEP lauds President Biden’s historic statement about the Ottoman-era Armenian genocide. Read More

HR 2590 would ensure no U.S. funds to Israel are used to detain or mistreat Palestinian children; seize and demolish Palestinian homes and structures in the West Bank; or facilitate the unilateral annexation of Palestinian land in the West Bank by the Israeli government. Read More

CMEP welcomes the announcement by Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 7th that the Biden Administration will soon restart economic and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians in a manner fully consistent with current U.S. law. Read More

In the letter the leaders share their vision for a rights based foreign policy writing, “We seek to encourage a US foreign policy in the region that addresses these and other issues in a fair, just, and consistent way. As faith leaders it is our duty to speak up on behalf of those who suffer injustice. We believe peace and justice in the world is also the duty of the United States and of all nations.” Read More

We are aware that much more must be done to truly build a diplomatic relationship with Palestinian leadership based on trust and mutuality. The United States must take real steps to ensure it is not seen as a dishonest broker. Read More

The voice of the faith community provides an important component in the deliverance, planning, and implementation of policy and can inform the writing of legislation. People of faith see engagement with government as a fundamental part of the workings of democracy.

CMEP is eager and ready to work with this new administration and continue our work where there is policy alignment in holistic peacebuilding, supporting economic and humanitarian assistance, and human rights while working toward peace and just resolutions to conflicts in the Middle East. Read More

On November 9, Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed to a ceasefire to end fighting in the Caucasus. Although the ceasefire is fragile, and false starts at peace may occur, now is the time for building a new future. Now is the time to put away the guns, the angry rhetoric, the desires for revenge, and the claims of victory and betrayal. Now is the time for peacemakers. Read More

Under the current Israeli military occupation of Palestinian lands, Palestinians of all ages living in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza live without the same civil rights enjoyed by the Jewish Israeli citizens in both Israel and the Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Palestinian children and youth are among the most vulnerable demographic affected by the realities of the occupation. Read More

Earlier this week we joined 16 Faith groups in a letter to President-elect Biden. The letter calls upon President-elect Biden to “invest in new approaches that build towards a future where human rights violations are ended and there is equality between Palestinians and Israelis. Read More

CMEP stands in solidarity with the Christian community in the Holy Land, and with the Roman Catholic congregants of the Church of all Nations, as well as other religious minority groups, as they face attacks and discrimination. We are committed to working toward a future in which all people in the Middle East can worship without fear of persecution.” Read More

These actions by Secretary of State Pompeo are further evidence that this Administration is not an honest broker when it comes to the pursuit of Middle East peace. Read More

On November 10, 2020, Saeb Erakat, a Senior Palestinian official who served as the top negotiator with the Israeli government, died due to complications of the coronavirus. Throughout his long career, Mr. Erakat worked tirelessly to advance peace between Israel and Palestine. Upon his passing, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Executive Director of Churches for Middle East Peace provided the following statement. Read More

On October 4th, 2020, the Holy See Press Office published Pope Francis’ most recent encyclical which he entitled Fratelli tutti: On Fraternity and Social Friendship. The encyclical, which is addressed to “all Christians and people of good will,” bears teachings that are relevant to the work of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP). We are grateful for the leadership of His Holiness Pope Francis and affirm the words of his encyclical as he calls for us to work towards justice and peace. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) affirms the announcement that Israel’s Prime Minister has decided to suspend Israeli annexation in the West Bank in return for normalization of relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Annexation is an atrocious idea, with terrible consequences for both Palestinians and Israelis. It would lock in the Occupation: reinforcing enduring oppression and violence and precluding equal human rights for all. Therefore, CMEP continues to call for the government of Israel to abandon altogether its plans for annexation. Read More

CMEP Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon joined over 30 Christian clergy and lay leaders from across the country in two letters to the Republican and Democratic National Conventions regarding their party platforms on Israel/Palestine. The letter called for the parties to ensure their respective platforms include “both a commitment to Israel and its security and a commitment to Palestinian rights. It should include clear opposition to ongoing occupation, settlement expansion and any form of unilateral annexation of territory in the West Bank.” Read More

CMEP’s Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, joined 26 church and Christian organizational leaders in a letter to members of Congress opposing the unilateral annexation of significant portions of the West Bank. In the letter, the leaders call on “Congress to wield its power of the purse and not allow any United States funds provided to Israel to be used for the recognition, facilitation or support of annexation…” Read More

Unilateral annexation of Palestinian land in the West Bank is in direct contravention of international law and conventions, and would likely mark the end of any possible just and lasting resolution to the conflict. If Congress fails to act now, the United States will bear a significant amount of responsibility for the continued disenfranchisement of Palestinian rights and for the continuation of the conflict. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) applauds UN Secretary General António Guterres’ March 23 call for an immediate ceasefire in all corners of the globe. The ceasefire is especially critical in the Middle East as an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic by reinforcing diplomatic action, creating conditions for the delivery of life-saving aid, and bringing hope to places where people are the most impoverished and vulnerable. Read More

On March 11, the House passed by a bipartisan vote of 227-186 legislation which would prohibit any military interventions in Iran unless explicitly approved by Congress. Introduced and passed in the Senate with bipartisan support in February, members of Congress are sending a clear message to the White House for the need to de-escalate tensions with Iran and pursue non-military options moving forward. While President Trump is likely to veto, the strong support for these measures demonstrate Congress is taking its role as the body to authorize military action. Read More

For many decades, Congress regularly appropriated funds to ensure the needs of vulnerable Palestinians would be met. Humanitarian aid should never be withheld to achieve political goals. The denial of humanitarian assistance to those who are most in need is contrary to humanitarian principles and undermines the goal of shared security for all people in the region. Read More

We affirm the need for strong—but fair— U.S. leadership to help encourage a future in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace and security with both peoples truly flourishing. It is in this spirit that we write to share our deep disappointment with the Trump Administration’s announced “Peace to Prosperity” proposal. Read More

The proposed plan would further entrench the Israeli security establishment, ensuring that generations of Israeli young men and women will serve in a military tasked with continuing control of the Palestinian people. The inevitable result will be more human rights abuses, trauma, and violence. Read More

As people of faith, we condemn the United States’ dangerous aggression towards Iran, including the assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani and the deployment of additional troops to the region. We urge the Administration to step back from the brink of war. Read More

In the pursuit of a just and durable resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, CMEP recognizes that it is imperative to acknowledge that the settlement enterprise stands in stark opposition to the goals of peace and justice. Anything other than fierce opposition to the support and expansion of settlements only solidifies and prolongs the conflict. Read More

On the heels of the Israeli election and with the U.S. Administration preparing to release the political component of its purported Peace Plan for Israel/Palestine, 22 Christian leaders, including Churches for Middle East Peace Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, wrote to the President outlining their recommendations for US policies that would help bring about a just and lasting end to the conflict in Israel-Palestine. A full copy of the letter, including signatories, is copied below. Read More

On August 15, 2019, the Israeli government announced it would ban two U.S. Congresswomen–Rashida Tlaib (MI) and Ilhan Omar (MN) to Israel just days before they were to depart on a Congressional delegation. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) strongly condemns this decision and calls on Prime Minister Netanyahu to reverse this action. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace joined a group of 20 Christian leaders representing national church communions and Christian organizations calling on congressional leadership to continue efforts to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition’s involvement in Yemen’s Civil War and provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Yemen. The letter was also sent to the leadership of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Senate Armed Services Committee, and House Committee on Armed Services. Read More

On Wednesday, Rep. Betty McCollum introduced H.R. 2407, “The Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living under Israeli Occupation Act.” Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) strongly endorses this legislation as a proactive step toward safeguarding the lives of vulnerable children caught in the middle of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Read More

As a faith-based organization striving above all else for a just peace in the Holy Land, we will continue to press the Trump Administration to make such a substantive offer. We will also continue to elevate the voices of Israelis and Palestinians as the situation evolves so that all possibilities are considered for obtaining the security and self-determination that they deserve as humans created in God’s image. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) condemns the firing of a missile by Hamas at Israeli civilians March 25, wounding seven people. CMEP is deeply concerned by the continued violence, including retaliatory bombings by the IDF. We call on an immediate cessation of violence and for both sides to commit to a ceasefire. Read More

President Trump’s decision on Thursday, March 21, to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights–a piece of Syrian territory occupied by Israel since the 1967 war–once again demonstrates the administration’s recklessly one-sided approach to Middle East foreign policy. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) deplores the move as violating one of the cornerstones of post-World War II international law: the illegitimacy of territory gained through conquest. Read More

Over the past several weeks, the political discourse relating to Israel/Palestine has rapidly deteriorated. We have witnessed members of Congress attack their colleagues by name, making accusations of anti-Semitism, often talking over and distorting what was actually said. As an organization committed to advocating for U.S. policies that will help bring about justice, equality, and human rights for all in Israel-Palestine and throughout the Middle East, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) has been dismayed by the tenor of these conversations. They reflect just how far we are as a nation from helping to foster a sustainable end to the conflict in Israel-Palestine. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace stands by the statement released on October 31 by the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, which echoes many of the concerns we expressed about the passage of the Jewish Nation State Basic Law on July 19, 2018. We affirm with the Ordinaries that as Christians, “We recognize that Jerusalem and the whole of this Holy Land is a heritage we share with Jews and Muslims, Druze and Baha’i, a heritage we are called upon to protect from division and internecine strife.” We applaud their resolve to “call on the authorities [of Israel] to rescind this Basic Law and assure one and all that the State of Israel seeks to promote and protect the welfare and the safety of all its citizens.” Read More

The extent to which the Jerusalem Patriarchs and Heads of Churches consider this legislation to be an existential threat cannot be overstated. When the bill was first introduced this past February (concurrently with a proposed municipal tax on church property) the Heads of Churches protested by closing the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in a historic act of solidarity. In response, eighteen religious leaders in the U.S., representing a diverse spectrum of Christianity, wrote to President Trump expressing the need to protect the vulnerable Christian community in Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Mr. Secretary, all efforts must be made so that a similar crisis may be avoided. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joins Bright Stars of Bethlehem, National Council of Churches (NCC), and Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference in support of statement regarding “Jerusalem: What makes for peace?” Read More

We who are pastors and Christian leaders in the U.S. add our voices to those of many faiths calling for the freeing of detained college student Lara Alqasem. Specifically, we call on the State Department to do its duty to protect the rights of this American citizen, traveling on an American passport with a valid Israeli visa to study at Hebrew University in Israel. “Consular access” is not enough; the State Department needs to make clear that the detention of Ms. Alqasem must end, as she has committed no crime nor has been charged with one by the Israeli authorities. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joined 17 Christian Denominations and Organizations in a letter to President Trump. In the letter, the signatories called upon the President to immediately reverse the recent decision to cut over $200 million in bilateral aid to the Palestinians as well as cease all US funding for UNRWA. Read More

On Thursday, July 19, Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, passed the “Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People” bill, one of many Basic Laws that collectively serve as Israel’s constitution. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), while reiterating its support for Israel as a democratic state, expresses its gravest concern over the harm that this new Basic Law will inflict upon Israel’s cultural, ethnic, and religious minorities, which account for 20% of Israel’s population. This law will have devastating effects on the rights of Palestinians with Israeli citizenship and Palestinians with resident status living in Jerusalem. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) voices our most vigorous opposition to the Trump Administration’s decision to relocate the embassy and recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel without equally acknowledging Palestinian claims. The timing of this dedication–coinciding with the 70th anniversary of Israel’s independence and coming the day before both Palestinian Nakba Day and the start of Ramadan–is insensitive at best, and offensive at worst. We express our outrage at this administration for refusing to acknowledge the role this decision played in escalating violence in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of more than 60 people and injury to over 2,200 Palestinians during the week. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomes President Abbas’s renewed commitment to the establishment of a Palestinian state existing alongside Israel and his calls for non-violent popular resistance to Israel’s occupation. CMEP condemns the anti-Semitic and inflammatory remarks and affirms that support for a Palestinian state does not require downplaying historical Jewish suffering or denying their connection to the land. Read More

On Sunday, Israel’s Strategic Affairs Ministry published a list of 20 organizations whose leaders and activists will not be allowed to enter Israel due to their organization’s support for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement against Israel. Boycott, divestment, and sanctions are expressions of free speech and forms of nonviolent protest. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is concerned to hear that 20 organizations, including five from the United States, will be prevented from entering Israel due to their support of economic measures against the state of Israel. Read More

An ecumenical statement in support of the August 2017 appeal by the Jerusalem Heads of Churches. The signatories stress their concern for religious freedom, free access to Holy Sites for all religions in Israel and Palestine, and reaffirm their vision of a shared, multi-faith Jerusalem for Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) urges President Donald Trump not to move the U.S Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as the move would be an obstacle to peace and would undermine U.S. credibility as a facilitator in peace negotiations.

Churches from Middle East Peace (CMEP) and twenty-one other American Christian leaders call on the presidential candidates to, will if elected, take urgent and vigorous new steps to seek creative political solutions that will foster a just and lasting peace and help each party to realize self-determination with necessary confidence building measures to build mutual security.

“We have come together in this unique first-time large scale Summit for Christian churches and church-related organizations from the USA and the Holy Land following the example and teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ on peacemaking, the dignity owed to all created in God’s image and kindling the hope that some day there will be a just and lasting peace in the Holy Land.”

As Israeli authorities continue to build a separation barrier wall across the Cremisan Valley, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) calls on Secretary John Kerry to instruct the State Department spokesperson to say that in the interest of reducing conflict, it is the view of the United States that unilateral impediment of access to Palestinian lands imposed by Israel or unilateral seizure of Palestinian lands by Israel without mutual agreement of the parties, is illegal and unacceptable

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) urges President Obama and the administration to make clear that the U.S. views Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine not merely as “illegitimate” and “foolish,” as it has already said, but also “illegal.” CMEP also insists the administration clearly reject language in bills now passed or pending in the Congress that deliberately includes settlements in measures designed to support Israel.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) stands with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem after recent graffiti attacks on the Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem and joins the Patriarch in calling for increased efforts by the Israeli authorities to find the perpetrators of these crimes and bring them to justice

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and 42 Jerusalem and U.S Christian leaders pledge support for Secretary Kerry’s efforts to reach an Israeli-Palestinian Peace Agreement and call for a framework for conclusive negotiations as an essential step towards a final status agreement.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) congratulated Secretary Kerry, as well as courageous Palestinian and Israeli leaders, for the announcement that negotiators are expected to meet in Washington to resume direct negotiations on terms for the establishment a viable Palestinian state alongside a secure and democratic State of Israel.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) strongly condemned the kidnappings on April 22 of two Orthodox Bishops near Aleppo, Syria and called for the immediate and unconditional release of these Bishops.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) writes to President Barack Obama on the Eve of his visit to the Holy Land to urge President Obama to seek firm commitments from leaders on both sides to re-engage in a peace process rooted in a just resolution of the conflict, universal security and recognition for both Israelis and Palestinians, an end to all forms of violence, and peaceful co-existence.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) urges President Barack Obama to bring the full energies of the Administration to bear toward facilitating a just, durable, and final negotiated agreement to end the Arab-Israeli-Palestinian conflict as he embarks on his second term in office.

On November 30th, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) sent a letter to one hundred senate offices urging them not to vote on amendments S. 3254, The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) namely SA 3171, SA 3139, and SA 3203, that would severely limit or eliminate US assistance to the Palestinian Authority under various conditions

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) expressed deep sorrow and distress about the acts of deadly violence that have broken out in Gaza and southern Israel. CMEP urged all parties involved to end violent actions and to work with regional allies to achieve an immediate ceasefire.

In the face of an imminent confrontation at the United Nations, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) reasserted that there is an urgent and immediate need for a just and sustainable resolution to the conflict in the Holy Land. CMEP also called for continued foreign aid to Palestinians and opposed threats to cut off aid to the Palestinian government and people in an effort to punish them for actions at the UN.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and other Christian Leaders call for visible additional steps by President Barack Obama and the Administration to keep the parties focused on making concrete progress.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) asks Secretary Hillary Clinton for assistance in helping Christians, Muslims and Jews enjoy full religious freedom and complete access to their holy places.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) strongly denounces the tragic and senseless killing of five members of the Fogel family in Itamar, a small Israeli settlement in the northern part of the West Bank near Nablus on March 11.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and other Christian leaders urge President Barack Obama to open up broad new channels of diplomatic effort to encourage both sides to take responsibility now for creating the conditions necessary for talks to succeed. This initiative must necessarily include support from the Middle East Quartet, the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference for a set of proposals, building on the Arab Peace Initiative.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) profoundly regrets that the United States found it necessary to veto the resolution in the United Nations Security Council calling for an end to Israeli construction in the Palestinian Territories and recognizing the urgency of achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace. CMEP called upon the United States to mount a major effort to help reduce fear and build trust among all involved in this conflict. CMEP also urged the President to make a well-prepared visit to the region, including Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, and neighboring Syria, to help create strong regional support for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace between Israel and its neighbors.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) expressed its concern with the lack of progress in negotiations for a comprehensive peace. Brief direct talks were suspended in September 2010. U.S. proposals intended to reignite direct negotiations failed to bring the parties back to the table. A United Nations Security Council resolution calling on Israel to stop illegal construction of settlements in the territories over which it gained control in 1967, including East Jerusalem, was submitted for Security Council consideration and will be discussed by the Middle East Quartet (U.S., UN, EU and Russia). CMEP called on the Obama Administration not to stand in the way of this resolution in a Security Council vote.

Following the tragic violence that took place against Iraqi Christians in Baghdad, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) writes to Secretary Hillary Clinton urge that U.S. policies that seek in every way possible to reinforce the strong history of peaceful religious coexistence in Iraq.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) condemned plans by a group in Florida to burn copies of the Holy Koran on September 11 and to incite others to do so. In this connection Churches for Middle East Peace fully supports the statement issued on September 7 in Washington, DC by 35 Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders that denounces the bigotry being directed against America’s Muslim community.

After bringing together Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and the President of the Palestinian Authority, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and other Christian leaders call on President Barack Obama and his negotiating team to continue vigilant efforts to help the parties find acceptable solutions.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomed the statement by the Government of Israel on June 20th that eased its blockade of Gaza. The announcement follows widespread international criticism of the violent confrontation at sea May 31 between Israeli forces and a flotilla headed for Gaza that led to the death of nine persons and injuries to others.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and other Christian leaders applaud President Barack Obama and the administration’s efforts to halt settlement construction in East Jerusalem and elsewhere in the Palestinian territories, and join in seeking a comprehensive agreement that ends the occupation, provides security and recognition for Israel, and establishes a viable, secure and independent Palestinian state.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and other Christian leaders urge President Barack Obama to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to use America’s unique relationship with Israel to persuade it to lift the closure of its border crossings with Gaza.

Churches for Middle East Peace and other organizations urge President Barack Obama and the administration to persuade Israel to lift the closure of its border crossings with Gaza.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) supports the recommendation in the Goldstone Report that independent investigations into allegations of war crimes committed during “Operation Cast Lead” from December 2008 to January 2009 should be carried out by Israeli and Palestinian authorities. CMEP supports the administration’s efforts to encourage such independent investigations and urges President Barack Obama to continue to press Israel and the Palestinians to conduct them.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) writes to Secretary Hillary Clinton to request the government of Israel on compassionate and humanitarian grounds to allow Ms. Berlanty Azzam, a fourth year student at Bethlehem University in Bethlehem who was detained and deported to Gaza by the Israeli military on October 28, 2009 to return to Bethlehem to complete her studies.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) writes to Secretary Hillary Clinton to urge the United States to exert every effort to address the water crisis by ending restrictions on humanitarian goods and opening Gaza’s borders in a secure manner to reconstruction and repair materials.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and other organizations support President Barack Obama’s efforts and determination to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to ensure stability and peace in the Middle East,

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) writes to Secretary Hillary Clinton expressing grave concern about the eviction of 50 Palestinians from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah section of East Jerusalem in the early morning hours of August 2, 2009 and urges the Department of State to insist on the immediate reversal of this ill-considered eviction and on the restoration of these houses to their former residents.

Following attacks on Iraqi Christians in Baghdad and Mosul, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) writes to Secretary Hillary Clinton urging the U.S to work closely with the Iraqi government to ensure that all possible security measures are taken to combat these violent attacks.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and other Christian leaders pledge support for President Obama’s commitment to peace between Israelis and Palestinians and to join with the administration to work with and support those in both societies who seek peace, justice, and security, standing beside those who hope for a better future.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) writes to Secretary Hillary Clinton urging the U.S to address several specific issues as part of the Administration’s broader efforts to resolve the conflict including, restrictive Israeli residency and “family unification” laws and regulations in East Jerusalem, which are contributing to the rapid decline of Jerusalem’s Christian population.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) writes to Secretary Hillary Clinton urging her make clear during her trip to the Middle East that the Obama Administration will not tolerate ongoing Israeli settlement activity.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) called for robust U.S. diplomacy throughout the Middle East to resolve conflicts and reduce tensions, including direct, serious and sustained negotiations with Iran.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) expressed its deep regrets of the decision by the United States and other nations to begin military action against Iraq.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) condemned unequivocally the suicide bombings carried out in Israel. CMEP also urged the United States to work with other nations to dispatch an international monitoring and observer force to the conflicted region as one immediate means of discouraging further violence. 12.3.01 Policy Statement Suicide Bombings in Israel