 |  | April 25th News Bulletin Here’s what’s upcoming and what you may have missed at CMEP and in the news. | | | | Israeli fire kills at least 44 people in Gaza, hits a police station Reuters “An Israeli airstrike hit a police station in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing at least 10 people, local health authorities said, and Israel's military said it had struck a command centre of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad groups. Medics said two Israeli missiles hit the police station, located near a market, which led to the wounding of dozens of people in addition to the 10 deaths. The identities of those killed were not immediately clear.” | | | | | | | | New Israel-Gaza ceasefire plan proposed, Hamas source tells BBC BBC "A senior Palestinian official familiar with Israel-Hamas ceasefire negotiations has told the BBC that Qatari and Egyptian mediators have proposed a new formula to end the war in Gaza. According to the official, it envisages a truce lasting between five and seven years, the release of all Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, a formal end to the war, and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.” | | | | | | | | Israel’s political leaders steering ceasefire talks frustrate mediators CNN “When discussions began over releasing Israeli hostages shortly after the October 7 attack by Hamas, the negotiators tasked to strike a deal were mostly intelligence and security professionals. But in February, Israel made an important change that those now involved say has had a profound slowing effect on the discussions to resurrect the broken ceasefire: The file was taken over by the prime minister’s closest political aide, Ron Dermer.” | | | | | | | | ‘He gave us strength’: Gaza Christians remember calls with Pope Francis Al-Jazeera "For 72-year-old Kamal Anton, Pope Francis was a source of comfort and support. Kamal has had to shelter since the start of the war in the same Catholic church compound in Gaza City – the Holy Family Church – that his wife and daughter were shot and killed by an Israeli sniper in." | | | | | | | | Press Release April 25, 2025: Churches for Middle East Peace Elevates the Statement of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) emphasizes the recent statement from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, which affirms their deep commitment to solidarity with Christian partners in the Holy Land. In the face of escalating violence, restricted movement, and growing despair—especially following the bombing of North Gaza’s last standing hospital—the statement underscores the importance of continued presence and accompaniment of the ELCJHL as an expression of faith, justice, and steadfast hope. | | | | | Make your voices heard today by letting your members of Congress you want the U.S. government to prioritize peace and an end to violence over continuing to supply weapons that will cause further death and destruction | | | | | | | | Call to Prayer: Layan Nasir We remember the 10 months Layan spent under Administrative Detention in Israeli prison and pray that on May 18, 2025 her case will be completely resolved and that she will not return to Israeli prison. Join on on Wednesday's for our weekly prayer sessions where we will pray for Layan as well as peace in the Middle East. | | | | | | | | Call to Prayer: Shady Khoury In 2022, Shady Khoury, a sixteen year old Palestinian boy, was brutally beaten and unjustly arrested on false charges. He was held in an Israeli military detention center for 44 days. After being released, he was ordered to house arrest. Now, more than two years later, Shady is still facing regular hearings due to these false charges being levied against him, with the next hearing being on April 27, 2025. Will you join us in prayer that all charges against Shady will be dropped, the case dismissed and Shady's file closed? May justice prevail. | | | | | | | | Come, Walk With Us Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is pleased to present this Lenten devotional series entitled “Come, Walk With Us” which is available for a suggested donation as a downloadable PDF for you or your church group. This devotional collection contains stories and reflections written by participants in the recent Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages for Ash Wednesday, each Sunday of Lent, and each day of Holy Week. Each devotion will also be on our Prayers for Peace blog throughout the Lenten holiday season: https://cmep.org/p4p-blog/ #CMEPLent2025
As you participate this Lent, share about your calls and prayers on social media using #GCPilgrimages and tag @ChurchesforMEP | | | | | | | | Mark your Calendar: April 27th "Faith, Remembrance, and Resilience: Standing Together for Justice and Peace in Commemoration of the Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide." Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) will be hosting a commemorative event at St. Mary's Armenian Church in Washington, DC on April 27th. The event will have an ecumenical service starting at 1pm followed by a children's performance including dance and song. Finally there will be a reception in the Church Halls. Mark your calendars! | | | | | | | | The 20th Israeli-Palestinian Joint Memorial Day Ceremony The Joint Memorial Day Ceremony, organized by Combatants for Peace and The Parents Circle Families Forum, is one of the largest Israeli-Palestinian jointly organized peace events in history. The Joint Memorial Ceremony provides a unique opportunity for Israelis and Palestinians to grieve together and stand strong in demanding an end to the occupation and ongoing violence. The ceremony occurs yearly on the eve of Yom Hazikaron (Israeli Memorial Day). | | | | | | | | US military poised to slash troops in Syria, officials say Reuters "Jordan's government has banned the Muslim Brotherhood a week after it said members of the Islamist group had been arrested on suspicion of planning rocket and drone attacks. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya told a news conference that all of the Brotherhood's offices would be closed and its assets confiscated, and that any activities would be considered illegal.” | | | | | | Wesleyan University president says Trump's antisemitism fight doesn't protect Jews NPR “Wesleyan University President Michael Roth says he finds no comfort in the Trump administration's supposed fight against antisemitism on college campuses. Roth, the first Jewish president of Wesleyan, told Morning Edition that the White House is "using antisemitism as a cloak" and threatening to defund universities to get them to "express loyalty to the president." | | | | | | | | Palestinian Christians reject U.S. Catholic Bishops collaboration with pro-Israel group Mondoweiss "In a letter sent late last month from Kairos Palestine to the USCCB Committee’s head, Bishop Timothy Broglio, sixteen Palestinian Christian leaders representing Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant denominations and church organizations express their deep disappointment regarding the USCCB’s endorsement of the American Jewish Committee’s online resource, Translate Hate. The bishops’ Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, in partnership with the AJC, added its own annotations to the AJC’s resource, which offers glossary of “antisemitic terms, phrases, conspiracies, cartoons, themes, and memes” and titled it, Translate Hate: The Catholic Edition.” | | | | | | | | Palestinian Authority president calls Hamas ‘sons of dogs,’ demands release of hostages and disarmament CNN “Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has called Hamas “sons of dogs,” demanding the release of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza and the disarmament of the militant group. Abbas said the priority is to stop “the Israeli genocide that the Gaza Strip is being subjected to.” He said the hostages present an excuse for Israel to continue attacking the besieged territory. “Sons of dogs, release the hostages and block their justifications,” Abbas said in a lengthy televised speech from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday.” | | | | | | | | | | From April 14-19, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) hosted a daily time of prayer and reflection. A different guest joined us each day and offered thoughts focused on Jesus' last week leading up to the Cross and Resurrection. Following the devotional time, the attendees joined in a time of communal prayer, praying for peace and justice. To end our time together each day, our speaker exhorted the listeners to follow Jesus' example in humility, love, and the pursuit of justice. | | | | | | 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 | | | | | | | |
