 |  | April 10th News Bulletin Here’s what’s upcoming and what you may have missed at CMEP and in the news. |
| | 1. The deadliest 10 minutes in decades: Lebanese reel from Israeli strikes that killed hundreds The Guardian "The flood of wounded came after Israel bombed more than 100 targets across Lebanon in those 10 minutes on Wednesday, killing more than 300 people and wounding 1,165, according to an initial count by Lebanon’s civil defence. The death toll, which was expected to rise as more bodies were found, was higher than Beirut’s 2020 port explosion – one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in human history. The Israeli military said it had hit Hezbollah “command and control centres” in the bombing campaign, which it dubbed 'Operation Eternal Darkness'". |
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| 2. Israel seeks Lebanon talks after bombardments threaten Iran truce Reuters "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he is seeking direct talks with Beirut, a day after the worst bombardment of the war killed more than 300 people in Lebanon and placed Donald Trump's U.S.-Iran ceasefire in jeopardy. Trump announced a ceasefire in the six-week-old Iran conflict late on Tuesday, just hours before a deadline after which he threatened to destroy Iran's entire civilisation". |
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| 3. Iran accuses US of violating parts of deal framework, says ceasefire is ‘unreasonable’ AP News "Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Wednesday that a ceasefire and negotiations with the U.S. on ending the war is “unreasonable” as he accused the U.S. of violating three of Tehran's 10 conditions for an end to the fighting. It comes as the not yet day-old ceasefire appears at risk of fraying over significant disagreements between the parties". |
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| 4. S Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain report attacks after Iran-US truce Al Jazeera Several Gulf nations have reported missile and drone attacks on their territories, hours after Iran and the United States announced a two-week ceasefire. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday said its air defences “are actively engaging” incoming missiles and drones from Iran. The UAE’s Defence Ministry said in a statement that the sounds of explosions heard in different areas across the country were caused by air defence systems intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles. "The air defences are currently dealing with missiles and drones coming from Iran,” the ministry said". |
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| 5. Israel approves dozens of new settlements in West Bank, watchdog says Reuters "Israel has approved the establishment of dozens of new Jewish settlements in the West Bank, an Israeli watchdog group said on Thursday, amid a rise in settler attacks on Palestinians across the occupied territory. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has not formally announced the establishment of the 34 new settlements, many of them outposts in far-flung areas of the mountainous territory, the Peace Now watchdog group said in a statement. The decision, made by the Israeli cabinet on April 1, was reported widely on Thursday by Israeli media outlets, which said Israel's military censor had approved it for publication". |
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| 6. Al Jazeera condemns killing of journalist in Israeli strike in Gaza BBC News "Al Jazeera has condemned the killing of one of its Palestinian journalists in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip, describing it as a "deliberate and targeted crime". Mohammed Wishah, a correspondent for the Al Jazeera Mubasher channel, and one other person were killed in a drone strike on a vehicle in Gaza City on Wednesday, the Qatar-based network and local health officials said. The Israeli military alleged that Wishah was a "Hamas terrorist" and said it carried out the strike because he posed a threat to its forces in the area." |
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| 7. DNC avoids taking a stance on Israel, AIPAC Politico "Democrats are, once again, punting on what to do about Israel. DNC members rejected a symbolic resolution to limit the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and dark-money corporate groups in Democratic primaries — an unsurprising result that is nevertheless a blow to those within the party that have been infuriated by the pro-Israel group's recent interventions". |
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| 8. US Republicans block bid to rein in Trump Iran war powers Reuters "U.S. House of Representatives Republicans on Thursday blocked a Democratic effort to end U.S. attacks on Iran, as Donald Trump's party continued to prevent efforts to rein in the Republican president's war powers. Representative Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, presided over an abbreviated "pro forma" House session, ending it before a group of Democrats could seek to pass the resolution via unanimous consent". |
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| | | 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. |
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| April 7, 2026: Statement from Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) on President Trump's Threats to Iran Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) expresses alarm and condemnation of recent statements by President Trump threatening catastrophic violence against Iran, including rhetoric suggesting that “a whole civilization will die tonight.” Such language, evoking the destruction of an entire people, stands in direct opposition to the core tenets of the Christian faith, which call us to uphold the sanctity of life, pursue peace, and recognize the inherent dignity of every human being. |
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| | April 08, 2026: Holy Easter Beneath the Shadow of War: The Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem In this piece, Giselle Soares, Middle East Fellow for Churches for Middle East Peace, invites the reader to reflect on the conflict in the Holy Land as part of the preparations of Orthodox Easter. As this conflict has worsened, Palestinian Orthodox Christians have suffered greatly, and have been unable to observe the Holy week as they have for generations. As Orthodox Christians seek to align themselves with mercy, justice, and suffering, standing with Palestinians against the ongoing violence becomes more important than ever.
This piece was written by CMEP Middle East Fellow Giselle Soares. |
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| 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! |
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| 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. |
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| | 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. |
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| April 15, 22, 29th, 2026: 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 series, hosted weekly April 15, 22, and 29 at 11 ET 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 partners and institutions on the ground in the Holy Land. We look forward to having you join us for these powerful and timely sessions. |
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| | | | April 27, 2026 CMEP Webinar: The Artsakh Blockade: How Nagorno Karabakh lost its 2000-year-old Armernian presence Join us on April 27th at 1PM EST for a Webinar on the 10-month blockade and ethnic cleansing of Nagorno Karabkh, in which over 100,000 Armenians were expelled from their homes. We are joined by Gev Iskajyan, who lived in Nagorno Karabkh during this difficult time and will recount to us his firsthand experience. As we commemorate the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on April 24th, in which 1.5 million Armenians lost their lives, we are reminded that even now this small Christian nation is under threat. |
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| 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. |
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| | April 03, 2026: Freedom of Movement and Checkpoints in the Occupied West Bank with Dalia Qumsieh On April 3, 2026, CMEP was happy to have Palestinian lawyer Dalia Qumsieh on a webinar titled "Freedom of Movement and Checkpoints in the Occupied West Bank". This webinar explored the system of checkpoints in the OPT and their devastating effects on the Palestinian population. Discussions centered around law, abuse, and gendered violence experienced at these checkpoints and the ramifications they have on daily Palestinian lives. |
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| | | Contact Us Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
110 Maryland Ave NE, Suite 505
Washington, District of Columbia 20002
(202) 543-1222 [email protected] |
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