"President Trump told Axios he's going to keep Iran under a naval blockade until the regime agrees to a deal that addresses U.S. concerns about its nuclear program. Trump is rejecting an Iranian proposal to first open the Strait of Hormuz and lift the blockade, while postponing nuclear talks to a later stage. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has prepared a plan for a "short and powerful" wave of strikes on Iran in hopes of breaking the negotiating deadlock, three sources with knowledge said".
2. Mirroring Gaza, Israel is destroying towns and villages in southern Lebanon
NPR News
"Israel has been very public about the controlled demolitions its military has been carrying out in many of the 55 Lebanese towns and villages it now occupies in the south. The Israeli military has been publishing videos on social media and in releases to the press showing entire neighborhoods eviscerated in seconds, the concrete homes and shops erupting into clouds of dust at the push of a detonator. Israel says it's destroying Hezbollah infrastructure. And that the goal is to create what Israel calls a "buffer zone" along its border, in order to keep Hezbollah from attacking its northern residents".
3. Israeli 'double tap' strike kills three rescue workers in Lebanon, officials say
BBC News
"The Israeli military says it struck Hezbollah infrastructure sites in southern Lebanon on Tuesday. Two successive Israeli air strikes on a building in southern Lebanon on Tuesday killed nine people, including three emergency workers, Lebanese officials say, in what the country's prime minister described as a "war crime". The Lebanese health ministry said the three members of the Lebanese Civil Defense, a state-run emergency service, had been sent to rescue those wounded in the first strike in the town of Majdal Zoun. They were trapped under rubble caused by the second strike and later confirmed dead".
4. Iran threatens painful response if US renews attacks
Reuters
"Iran said on Thursday it would respond with "long and painful strikes" on U.S. positions if Washington renewed attacks and restated its claim to the Strait of Hormuz, complicating U.S. plans for a coalition to reopen the waterway. Two months into the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, the vital sea channel remains closed, choking off 20% of the world's oil and gas supplies. That has sent global energy prices surging and heightened concerns about the risks of an economic downturn".
5. Israel intercepts Gaza flotilla near Crete and detains 175 activists
BBC News
"Pro-Palestinian activists say 22 boats from a flotilla carrying aid for Gaza have been intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters near the Greek island of Crete. The organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) denounced the action as "piracy", saying those on board were seized unlawfully more than 965km (600 miles) from Gaza, which is under an Israeli naval blockade. Israel's foreign ministry said about 175 activists were detained and dismissed the flotilla as a "PR stunt". Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said they would be "disembarked on a Greek beach" later on Thursday".
6. Palestinian officials hail local elections in a Gaza community and the West Bank
NPR News
"Palestinian authorities said Sunday that local elections in a single Gaza community and the Israeli-occupied West Bank were a success and called them a step toward a long-delayed presidential election in the territories and eventual statehood. The Palestinian Authority, which administers semiautonomous areas of the West Bank but is left out of the U.S.-drafted ceasefire plan for Gaza, has described Saturday's local election in central Gaza's Deir al-Balah as a largely symbolic pilot while the authority seeks to politically link the territories".
7. Iran's supreme leader vows to protect nuclear and missile capabilities
AP News
"Iran’s supreme leader defiantly vowed Thursday to protect the Islamic Republic’s nuclear and missile capabilities, which U.S. President Donald Trump has sought to curtail through airstrikes and as part of a wider deal to cement the war’s shaky ceasefire. In a statement read by a state television anchor, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said the only place Americans belonged in the Persian Gulf is “at the bottom of its waters” and that a “new chapter” was being written in the region’s history. Khamenei has not been seen in public since taking over as supreme leader following the killing of his father in the war’s opening airstrikes".
8. The UAE’s departure from OPEC shakes up the alliance that influences oil prices worldwide
AP News
"The decision by the United Arab Emirates to leave the OPEC oil cartel shook up the 65-year-old alliance that produces some 40% of the world’s crude oil and exerts major influence over the price of energy around the globe. The UAE said in the announcement Tuesday that when it leaves OPEC this Friday, it plans to carry on with its long-held goal of increasing crude production “in a gradual and measured manner, aligned with demand and market conditions".
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.
Apr 27, 2026: Press Release: Joint Freedom Day Statement Call for Global Solidarity, Truth-Telling, Unity, and Justice Across Continents
On Freedom Day in South Africa, commemorating the end of apartheid and the birth of a democratic nation, a coalition of Christian leaders and institutions issued a joint statement linking the legacy of South Africa’s liberation struggle to urgent global calls for justice in Palestine and Israel. The statement was released by the Reformed Church in America (RCA), Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and the South African Council of Churches (SACC), together with our ecumenical partners, the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) and the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC).
April 29, 2026: Between the Sea and Sanctuary: The Quiet Importance of Halki Seminary
The article, written by CMEP AWCF Giselle Soares, celebrates the potential re-opening of the Halki Seminary in Constantinople. While this institution has remained neglected as a result of Türkiye's framing of the seminary as a Greek national institution, recent dialogue has been fruitful in lowering tensions. As cooperation between the historically hostile nations continue to grow, hope for goodwill and religious freedom in the nation have mirrored this rise. After centuries of tension in the region, the potential for a better future seems ever closer on the horizon.
The article was written by CMEP AWCF Giselle Soares
April 28, 2026: P4P: Unarmed Civilian Protection in Palestine
This P4P describes the importance of the UCPiP project, which uses creative non-violent means to deter, prevent, and mitigate human rights violations against Palestinian villagers, especially during periods of mounting violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers. Through non-violent means, unarmed volunteers can protect vulnerable civilians from settler violence. To support this service, the article urges international communities to show solidarity with this effort, and help advocate for the rights of Palestinian communities.
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.
May 4, 2026: Reshaping Jewish/Christian Engagement: Moving Beyond Dialogue to Collective Action
Join Rabbi Jill Jacobs (Tru’ah) and Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon (Churches for Middle East Peace) at The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church on Monday, May 4th at 6:30 PM for a conversation about the landscape and future of Jewish-Christian relations. In a time when the world is deeply divided, these two faith leaders will come together to model what honest, courageous, and compassionate interfaith conversation can look like.
Their dialogue will explore how Jewish and Christian communities have sometimes misunderstood or even harmed one another, and how we might move toward deeper understanding, trust, and solidarity. Drawing from their experiences leading faith-based advocacy, they will reflect on how communities of faith can navigate the complex intersections of religion, politics, and justice in the Middle East, while remaining committed to our shared values of human dignity and peace. This event is an opportunity not only to witness meaningful interfaith engagement but also to imagine new ways forward—together.
May 15, 2026: 7th Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony
The ceremony offers space to acknowledge the Nakba, the mass displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians in 1948, and its ongoing reality. For many, this history remains unspoken; without acknowledgment, there can be no path forward. Organized by Combatants for Peace, the ceremony brings Palestinians and Israelis together in shared remembrance. It is grounded in the belief that listening to one another’s stories and confronting injustice are necessary steps toward healing and reconciliation.
April 27, 2026 CMEP Webinar: The Artsakh Blockade: How Nagorno Karabakh lost its 2000-year-old-Armenian presence
On April 27th, CMEP was joined by Armenian National Committee of America’s Grassroots Director, Gev Iskajyan to talk about his experiences in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) during the 10-month blockade and ethnic cleansing of the region in 2023. Gev shared with us what the conditions were on the ground as the situation continued deteriorating through his own photographs.
