Here’s what’s upcoming and what you may have missed at CMEP and in the news.
Middle East News
1. Iran fires on Israel and Gulf neighbors as Trump claims threat from Tehran nearly eliminated
PBS News
"Iran fired more missiles at Israel and Gulf Arab states Thursday, demonstrating Tehran's continued ability to strike its neighbors even as U.S. President Donald Trump claimed the threat from the country was nearly eliminated. Iran's attacks on Gulf states along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world's energy supplies with effects far beyond the Middle East. That has proved to be Iran's greatest strategic advantage in the war. Britain planned to hold a call with nearly three dozen countries about how to reopen the strait once the fighting is over".
2. Israel intensifies Lebanon attacks and hits areas not in Hezbollah's control
BBC News
"Strikes on the Lebanese capital of Beirut have continued this week. Israel has intensified its attacks on Lebanon this week, hitting areas outside of Hezbollah's control on Tuesday. Strikes without warning hit a vehicle north of Beirut and the Jnah neighbourhood in the heart of the capital. Attacks also continued in the city's southern suburbs and the country's south, both where Hezbollah has a strong presence. A building was destroyed on the road to Beirut's airport after an evacuation order, and in the south, a strike hit a health facility, killing a paramedic, according to Lebanon's health ministry".
3. After Israel's invasion, many in southern Lebanon worry they'll never go home
NPR News
"The Israeli invasion of Lebanon — aimed at ousting Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants from these same rocky hills — has triggered one of the biggest and fastest displacements in Lebanon's history, affecting more than a million people, or about a fifth of the population. Israel has ordered residents to move north of the Zahrani River, below which Israeli airstrikes have destroyed bridges, homes, highways and gas stations. That evacuation zone comprises 15% to 20% of Lebanon's territory".
4. Takeaways from Trump’s address: No end date for Iran war and few details on strategy ahead
AP News
"President Donald Trump sought Wednesday to explain his rationale for the war against Iran at a pivotal moment at home and abroad, but he offered few new details as he amasses extraordinary executive authority to prosecute the military operation. Notably missing from Trump's primetime address was his oft-repeated assertion that negotiations with Iran were underway. He softened his insults against NATO allies and did not indicate he was preparing to send in ground troops, particularly to retrieve Iran’s enriched uranium. But he gave no definitive end date for the conflict".
5. Israeli death penalty law targeting Palestinians sparks global outcry as far right celebrates
NBC News
"Far-right supporters of a controversial Israeli death penalty law were popping champagne corks as it cleared the Knesset on Monday night, but its passage has sparked a global chorus of condemnation from allies and international human rights groups. The new law effectively makes death by hanging the default punishment for murderers who kill “with the intent to deny the existence of the State of Israel” — language that targets Palestinian militants but amounts to a de facto exclusion of Israelis who kill Palestinians".
6. Israeli settlers build new illegal outpost near West Bank village where soldiers assaulted, detained CNN crew
CNN News
"Dozens of Israeli settlers returned to the West Bank village of Tayasir on Wednesday to build a new illegal settler outpost on its outskirts, days after a separate one was dismantled following a CNN Report covering its establishment. Local residents and eyewitnesses told CNN settlers arrived in the morning with a flock of sheep loaded onto the back of an army vehicle. Videos sent to CNN show Israeli soldiers and military jeeps providing protection to the settlers as they erect new tents. An Israeli attorney representing a Palestinian Bedouin community that was displaced in the area also confirmed the military’s presence".
"Suspected Iranian-backed militants kidnapped an American journalist in Iraq on Tuesday, according to the State Department and the Iraqi Interior Ministry. The journalist was identified in the hours after her kidnapping came to light as freelancer Shelly Kittleson. Al-Monitor, one of the publications she works for, called for her "safe and immediate release." Dylan Johnson, the assistant secretary of state for global affairs, said on X that the State Department was "aware of the reported kidnapping of an American journalist in Baghdad, Iraq".
8. “Two Versions of Christianity”: Pope Leo Calls for Peace as U.S. Uses Religion to Justify Iran War
Democracy Now!
"As Christians around the world prepare to celebrate Easter Sunday, we go to Palestine to speak to Reverend Munther Isaac, pastor of the Lutheran Church in Ramallah and director of the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice, located in the city of Jesus Christ’s birth. This year’s Easter preparations come against the backdrop of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, which many Christian nationalists in the U.S., including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, are framing in extremist religious terms. Reverend Isaac calls the Christian Zionism espoused by Hegseth and others “a theology of war, of violence” and highlights the efforts of Pope Leo XIV, the U.S.-born head of the Catholic Church who has come out stridently against both the war and Hegseth’s rhetoric, to promote peace in the region".
9. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she will now oppose all US military aid to Israel
NBC News
"Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez said Wednesday that she is now opposing all U.S. military aid to Israel, a shift in her previous position that made exceptions to support Israeli efforts to defend itself. The new stance distinguishes Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., from both leaders in her party and other potential 2028 Democratic White House contenders, should she launch a presidential run".
May 5-7: Joint Christian Advocacy Summit 2026 Location Announced: Shiloh Baptist Church: 1500 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
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.
March 30, 2026: Statement on Religious Freedom in Jerusalem
Churches for Middle East Peace condemns the decision by Israeli authorities to bar Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from leading Palm Sunday services at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, calling it an unacceptable violation of religious freedom. While the reversal of the decision is welcome, CMEP warns that such incidents reflect a troubling pattern of increasing restrictions on worship in Jerusalem.
Mar 31, 2026: Statement by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem regarding the Resurrection Feast celebrations
The Patriarchate of Jerusalem reaffirms its steadfast commitment to preserving the Christian presence in the Holy Land, safeguarding freedom of worship, and upholding the historic Status Quo amid ongoing violence and suffering. While mourning the devastation in Gaza and rising attacks in the West Bank, it calls for faith, dignity, and peace, limiting Holy Week celebrations to solemn religious rites in honor of those enduring hardship.
April 01, 2026: CMEP Urges Churches to “Hear the Cry of the Palestinian Church” in New Kairos Palestine Easter Alert
Churches for Middle East Peace is encouraging churches, faith leaders, and individuals across the United States and around the world to read, reflect on, and wrestle with the newly released “Kairos Palestine Easter Alert 2026” from Kairos Palestine. As Christians prepare to enter Holy Week, the Easter Alert offers a sobering and deeply theological reflection on what it means to live in a prolonged “Holy Saturday”, a time of suffering, uncertainty, and waiting, in the context of ongoing violence and displacement in Palestine.
April 1, 2026: Opinion | We must protect Saint Catherine’s Monastery
Written by CMEP AWCF fellow Giselle Soares for the Orthodox Observer, “We Must Protect Saint Catherine’s Monastery” underscores the urgent need to safeguard Saint Catherine’s Monastery, the world’s oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery, located at the foot of Mount Sinai. The article highlights rising concerns over a 2025 Egyptian court ruling reclassifying the monastery’s land as state property, alongside large-scale development plans that could disrupt its centuries-old monastic life and the livelihoods of the local Bedouin community. Emphasizing the monastery’s profound spiritual, historical, and interfaith significance, Soares calls for its protection as a living symbol of shared sacred heritage and peaceful coexistence.
Apr 2, 2026: An Easter Message from Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad
From Jerusalem, Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad proclaims the enduring hope of Easter amid war and suffering, affirming that life, dignity, and love will prevail over death and injustice. Even in the face of violence, restrictions, and loss, he calls on all people to live out the resurrection by standing with the oppressed and holding fast to the promise: Christ is risen.
April 03, 2026: Statement of Support from Churches for Middle East Peace for the 2026 Easter Message of the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) expresses its appreciation and solidarity with the Easter Message of the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem (2026), issued by the historic Christian leadership of the Holy Land. In a time marked by devastating violence, regional instability, and profound human suffering, we are grateful for the moral clarity, spiritual depth, and pastoral care embodied in this message. The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches offer a powerful witness rooted in the hope of the Resurrection, proclaiming that even amid destruction and despair, death does not have the final word.
CMEP in the News: Israel Is Blocking Palestinians from Easter at Church Where Jesus Resurrected
"As Christians across the globe remember Jesus’ journey through Holy Week, Israel is taking the unprecedented steps of restricting access to holy sites in Jerusalem. Israel is blocking access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, as well as the Western Wall, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex indefinitely after the outset of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, impacting typical observance of the Christian Holy Week, Ramadan, and Passover and restricting travel into East Jerusalem. For Palestinian Christians, it would mark the first time that access to the church—which is known as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection—is blocked over Easter".
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!
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.
CMEP Presents a Lenten of Lament and Hope dedicated to Palestinian Children
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is pleased to offer this 2026 Lenten Devotional series as a sacred companion for the journey from Ash Wednesday through Holy Week. Available as a downloadable PDF for a suggested donation, this collection is designed for individual reflection or use within church communities.
This Lent, we are invited to slow down, to listen, and to open our hearts. Each devotion is centered on a piece of artwork created by Palestinian children living in the Holy Land. These images speak with honesty, longing, and hope. The works of art are paired with prayerful reflections written by CMEP, guiding us to contemplate suffering and resilience, lament and love, repentance and renewal.
As we walk the way of the cross, these devotions call us into deeper solidarity, inviting us to see the Holy Land through the eyes of its children and to encounter Christ anew in places of pain and perseverance. May this Lenten journey draw us closer to God, to one another, and to the work of justice, peace, and compassion in the world.
April 15, 22, & 29: CMEP Catholic Advisory Council Spring Mini-Series
The Catholic Advisory Council of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is excited to invite you to a special three-part Spring Mini-Course series. This event, hosted on Zoom, will explore how Catholic and Christian communities in the Holy Land are responding to the profound challenges of life under occupation and ongoing conflict. Together, we’ll examine key areas of interest to Catholics (and all Christians) in the U.S. and hear from key Catholic partners and institutions on the ground in the Holy Land We look forward to having you join us for these powerful and timely sessions.
April 20, 2026: Combatants for Peace and The Parents Circle-Families Forum Joint Memorial Day Ceremony
Churches for Middle East Peace is proud to co-sponsor the Joint Memorial Day Ceremony of the Combatants for Peace and The Parents Circle-Families Forum. Seeking to transform sorrow into collective resolve, this event has brought together Israelis and Palestinians for more than two decades. Even after two and a half years of continued suffering and violence, this year's ceremony will demonstrate that even in times of strife, solidarity is not only possible, but imperative.
April 1: A Time for Peace Vigil Recording On April 1, 2026, amid escalating violence in Iran, Israel, Lebanon and across the Middle East, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) hosted a prayer vigil centering the calls of the "A Time for Peace" statement. The vigil included prayerful remarks from several esteemed multi-faith leaders, including CMEP's executive director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon.
