 |  | February 6th News Bulletin Here’s what’s upcoming and what you may have missed at CMEP and in the news. | | | | 1. Handful of sick and wounded Palestinians allowed through Rafah crossing on first day The Guardian "About 150 people were due to leave the territory on Monday, and 50 to enter it, according to Egyptian officials, more than 20 months after Israeli forces closed the crossing. However, by nightfall, Reuters reported that Israel had permitted 12 Palestinians to re-enter the territory, according to Palestinian and Egyptian sources. A further 38 had not cleared security and would wait on the Egyptian side of the crossing overnight, it said." | | | | | | 2. Israel strikes Gaza, killing 19, mostly women and children, after saying Hamas violated deal NPR "Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 19 Palestinians, most of them women and children, by midday Wednesday, according to hospital officials. Israel pledged to continue strikes, saying that it was responding to a militant attack on Israeli soldiers that seriously wounded one. Among the Palestinians killed were five children, including a 5-month-old and a baby just 10 days old; seven women; and a paramedic, said hospital officials." | | | | | | 3. US contractor sent Gaza plan to White House that would secure 300% profits The Guardian "A US disaster response firm submitted a plan to White House officials that would guarantee 300% profits and a seven-year monopoly over a new trucking and logistics plan for Donald Trump’s Board of Peace in Gaza, according to a November proposal obtained by the Guardian. The draft plan from Gothams LLC would allow it to collect a fee for every truck moving goods into Gaza, and charge for the use of its warehousing and distribution system." | | | | | | 4. Lebanon says Israel sprayed southern villages with concentrated herbicide BBC "Lebanon has accused Israeli aircraft of spraying an agricultural herbicide over southern villages at concentrations authorities described as dangerously high, raising concerns for food and environmental security. The agriculture and environment ministries said laboratory tests confirmed the substance was glyphosate, a chemical used to destroy vegetation, with concentrations in some samples "between 20 and 30 times the levels usually accepted". | | | | | | 5. Iran’s president seeks ‘fair and equitable’ negotiations, while US shoots down drone AP News "Iran’s president said Tuesday he instructed the country’s foreign minister to “pursue fair and equitable negotiations” with the United States, the first clear sign from Tehran it wants to try to negotiate as tensions remain high with Washington after the Mideast country’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month." | | | | | | 6. Researchers at Human Rights Watch Resign Over Blocked Report on Palestinian Refugee Return Jewish Currents "Two Human Rights Watch (HRW) employees who make up the organization’s entire Israel and Palestine team are stepping down from their positions after leadership blocked a report that deems Israel’s denial of Palestinian refugees’ right of return a “crime against humanity.” | | | | | | | | 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.
| | | | | | John the Baptist and the Village of Sebastia Do Justice Blog - Christian Reformed Church This piece was written by CMEP Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon. "I first visited the Christian village of Sebastia sometime in 2011. Climbing a bit from the parking lot to the tel's summit, one could see across the hilltops much of the occupied West Bank. The view was stunning as I stood, surrounded by olive groves, and pondered the history that had unfolded there." | | | | | | A peace plan with no peace: The future of Gaza under the U.S. The Christian Citizen This piece is written by CMEP AWCF Dr. Allison Wattenbarger and Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon. "President Trump wants to be known as the “Peace President.” He insists that he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize and campaigned on a promise to end the war in Gaza on his first day in office. It took longer than a day, but nine months after his inauguration, Hamas and the State of Israel both signed a ceasefire deal, often called the “Trump Twenty-Point Peace Plan,” which went into effect on October 10, 2025." | | | | | | 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. This is Action Alert is still on going and currently has gathered support from 61 Co-Sponsors! | | | | | | | | 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. | | | | | | | | | | | | 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. | | | | | | March 24, 2026: Who is My Neighbor? How Christians Can Challenge Islamophobia and Advocate for Just Peace in Times of Fear In times of heightened fear, polarization, and violence here at home and around the world, Christian communities are called to reflect deeply on what it means to love our neighbors (Matthew 22:39). On March 24th, join Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign (S2S) for a critical conversation exploring the links between challenging Islamophobia in our churches and communities and advocating for a just peace in both the United States and the Middle East. This online session features scholar-practitioners Rev. Dr. Anna Piela, Rev. Dr. Michael Woolf, and Dr. Jordan Denari Duffner, each of whom bring expertise in Christian-Muslim relations and community advocacy, as well as familiarity with Israel/Palestine peacebuilding efforts. Together, we will consider how church communities can faithfully and impactfully build bridges and foster solidarity with our neighbors.
This event will take place via Zoom from 2pm-3:15pm. | | | | | | 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 February 15th! | | | | | | 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. | | | | | | The Voice of Hind Rajab - Day of Remembrance & Action Today, we’re joining communities around the world in remembering Hind Rajab and the at least 20,000 children killed in Gaza since October 2023. Her final hours should never be forgotten. We honor her life by bearing witness and demanding immediate humanitarian and medical access into Gaza. The children of Gaza deserve better from us.
On January 29, 2024, Red Crescent volunteers received an emergency call. A 5-year-old girl trapped in a car under fire in Gaza, pleading for rescue. While trying to keep her on the line, they did everything they could to get an ambulance to her. Her name was Hind Rajab. Blending real emergency call recordings with narrative story structure, the film follows the Red Crescent dispatchers who fight against time and impossible barriers to reach her. | | | | | | 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. | | | | | | | | 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 | | | | | | | |
