 |  | January 23rd News Bulletin Here’s what’s upcoming and what you may have missed at CMEP and in the news. | | | | 1. What is Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ and who is joining? Here’s what to know. CNN "US President Donald Trump is struggling to attract Western allies to his “Board of Peace,” but so far he has garnered the support of Middle Eastern monarchs, the man known as Europe’s last dictator and at least one leader wanted for alleged war crimes. Trump has invited dozens of countries to join the board that seeks to resolve global conflicts, but its remit has alarmed several US allies, as has the US leader’s comment that it “might” replace the United Nations." | | | | | | 2. 3 journalists killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza, including cameraman who worked with CBS News CBS "An Israeli airstrike killed three journalists in Gaza on Wednesday, the territory's civil defense agency said. One of those killed, Abed Shaat, had worked for years as a cameraman for CBS News and other outlets. Officials identified the other two journalists killed as Mohammed Salah Qashta and Anas Ghneim, the Agence France-Presse news agency reported. Shaat had also contributed regularly to AFP, but the agency said he was not on assignment for them at the time." | | | | | | 3. Thousands set to rally against Netanyahu and Qatargate ‘treason’ in weekly protests Times of Israel "Thousands of protesters are expected to take to the streets in the nation’s largest cities on Saturday night amid a series of damning reports about Qatar’s ties with aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The focus on Qatar, a key backer of Hamas, came after the publication this week of reports and interviews that appeared to tie Netanyahu to the so-called Bild and Qatargate probes in which his top aides have either been prime suspects or indicted. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called Qatargate “the most serious act of treason in Israeli history.” | | | | | | 4. ‘If you sleep, settlers will burn your house’: fear in the West Bank Al Jazeera "When the music stops, Naif Ghawanmeh, 45, takes a seat in front of the fire. The night is chilly, and for the first time in weeks, everything is still for a moment – the Israeli settlers’ celebrations have finished for the day. But the village of Ras Ein al-Auja, situated in the eastern West Bank’s Jericho governorate, has been all but wiped out." | | | | | | 5. U.S. allies abandon huge ISIS camp amid fighting with Syrian government NBC "Longtime U.S. allies say they have abandoned large prisons holding thousands of Islamic State group fighters and their families in northeastern Syria. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said Tuesday it had redeployed from the al-Hol camp to nearby cities, blaming “international indifference” for the withdrawal. The move comes amid intensifying fighting between the SDF and fighters loyal to the government of Syria and after a reported ceasefire between the two sides." | | | | | | 6. Iran says 3,117 killed in recent protests, issuing lower death toll than human rights activists PBS "Iranian state TV has issued the first official death toll from recent protests, saying 3,117 people were killed, while the foreign minister issued the most direct threat yet against the United States after Tehran's bloody crackdown, warning the Islamic Republic will be "firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack." State television on Wednesday night carried a statement by the Martyrs Foundation providing the toll and saying 2,427 of the dead in the demonstrations that began Dec. 28 were civilians and security forces. It did not elaborate on the rest." | | | | | | | | Still Active: ACTION ALERT "Block the Bombs Act" On May 21st, 2025, House Resolution 3565 was introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives, also known as the "Block the Bombs Act." The resolution calls for a limit on the sale of bombs, ammunition (including white phosphorus), and ammunition manufacturing capability. The act comes as Israel has strengthened its assault on Gaza and the West Bank, with an estimated death toll since October 7th, 2023 standing at 54,000 Palestinian men, women, and children. Congress needs to pressure the Trump Administration to protect Palestinian civilians through the passage of HRes. 3565. Your voice can push your representative to support this vital resolution and limit offensive weapon capabilities of Israel, protecting Gazan civilians from relentless bombs. Contact your representative and urge them to support the initiative. | | | | | | | | Peacebuilding Lessons from the Middle East February 16, 23, March 2, 9, 2026 | Noon–2 PM
Instructor: The Rev’d Mae Elise Cannon, PhD, Executive Director of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
Offered at Berkeley Divinity School at Yale In a time of deep global division and conflict, this course invites participants to learn from the lived witness of Christians in the Middle East who embody faith, resilience, and hope amid adversity. Taught by the Rev’d Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Executive Director of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), the course focuses on Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, exploring how the church in the Holy Land seeks justice, reconciliation, and spiritual renewal in the face of ongoing struggle. Through an interdisciplinary blend of theology, history, and practical ministry, participants will engage in spiritual formation, examine models of conflict transformation, and gain tools for peacebuilding and advocacy. Together, we will explore what it means to “love one’s enemy” and move from apathy to action in the pursuit of justice and peace in the Middle East and in our own communities. | | | | | | Call to Prayer and Advocacy for Shadi Khoury On Sept, 8th 2025, after two years and eleven months of procrastination in the corridors of the occupation's courts, after an arrest accompanied by torture, Shadi's steadfastness during interrogation, a full year of house arrest, and thirty-seven consecutive court sessions, the judge issued his decision convicting Shadi. Sentencing has been pushed to February 15 at 8:50 a.m. We ask that you keep Shadi in your prayers and consider acts of advocacy. You can reach out to our congressional representatives and respectfully ask them to urge Israel to show leniency in Shadi's case. Please join us on Wednesdays 12:30pm EST as we pray for Shadi and all other affected by unjust violence. | | | | | | Thursday Weekly News Briefing
Please join us on Zoom for a weekly briefing on current news regarding the Hamas and Israel War. Hear from CMEP Staff and other experts and ask questions at the end. Every Thursday from 10:30-11:15 am Eastern. | | | | | | | | Support CMEP’s Work for Peace
If you value the programs and advocacy efforts highlighted in the bulletin, we invite you to partner with us. Your generosity makes it possible for CMEP to continue hosting events, leading education initiatives, and amplifying voices for justice and peace in the Middle East. If you would like to support CMEP in expanding this important work, please consider making a donation today. Thank you for standing with us. | | | | | | | | | | | | Receive the Name of a Palestinian Child Alive Today and Lift them up
in Prayer and Advocacy "Let Children Live" More than two million children in Gaza and the West Bank live under brutal oppression, their lives too often reduced to statistics. Yet each child is beloved by God. The Let Children Live campaign invites you to receive the name of a Palestinian child alive today and lift them up in prayer and advocacy. Together, we can remind the world of their dignity, hope, and right to a future. Join Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and our global partners in this urgent call to stand with children who deserve to live and thrive. | | | | | | February 21, 2026: Spiritual Formation as a Justice and Practice Join us at 11 am for a conversation with Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, executive director of Churches for Middle East Peace and ordained pastor in the Reformed Church of America, hosted by The Institute for Justice Formation. This talk will focus on the connection of spiritual formation in the context of Middle East justice and moving from the abstract, individualized piety to active justice work. This event will take place virtually from 11 am-1 pm on February 21, 2026. | | | | | | Early Bird Tickets Out Now! May 5-7: Joint Christian Advocacy Summit 2026 Join CMEP and a broad coalition of co-sponsors May 5-7, 2026 as we converge in Washington, DC for a Joint Christian Advocacy Summit for the Middle East. Centered on the theme “Do Right; Seek Justice (Is. 1:17): Christians Uniting Against Oppression in Palestine/Israel,” this gathering will equip and mobilize Christian advocates from across the country in support of U.S. policies that uphold dignity, human rights, and lasting security for all who call the region home. Attendees will learn from experts, gain advocacy skills, and have the opportunity to meet with their congressional offices to call for a just peace in the Holy Land.
Early Bird Tickets are available until January 31st! | | | | | | Spring 2026 Solidarity Pilgrimage + Christ at the Checkpoint May 22 - May 31 Join Churches for Middle East Peace as we journey to Israel/Palestine in May 2026 for a solidarity pilgrimage. This trip will highlight the spiritual significance of the land, the role of local Christians in shaping the region’s past and present, and opportunities to meet with religious, academic, and non-profit leaders working toward peace and justice in the land. Alongside visits to sacred sites in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and beyond, the itinerary includes participation in the Christ at the Checkpoint Conference, offering an opportunity to hear from Palestinian Christian leaders and global advocates committed to justice, reconciliation, and nonviolence. | | | | | | | | | | Join CMEP from January 18–25, 2026 for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity On January 20th, 2026 CMEP held its first event for the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" together with Save the ArQ co-founder Hagop Djernazian. This event focused on the Armenian Community in the Holy Land and included a deep dive into the community's history as well as the issues facing them today, including the ongoing court cases surrounding the "Cows Garden" land lease. You can watch the recording on YouTube below. | | | | | | Contact Us Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
110 Maryland Ave NE, Suite 505
Washington, District of Columbia 20002
(202) 543-1222 info@cmep.org | | | | | | | |
