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CMEP Weekly Bulletin: ‘We Won’t Forget’: US Lawmakers Call for Justice for Abu Akleh A look at US advocacy, Syria’s president, and more news in this week’s bulletin. CMEP’s Bulletin is a weekly round-up of news from the Middle East and represents an array of perspectives on the issues we cover. CMEP does not necessarily agree with all the views expressed in the articles, and they do not speak on CMEP’s behalf. | | | |
 | Image: US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib speaks outside the US Capitol at news conference calling for justice for Shireen Abu Akleh on May 18 (Ali Harb/Al Jazeera) | | | ‘We won’t forget’: US lawmakers call for justice for Abu Akleh Al-Jazeera “Gathered outside the United States Capitol, several members of Congress have called for accountability in the shooting of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, linking her death to broader, continuing Israeli abuses against Palestinians.” | | | | | |
 | Image: Pope Francis and Pope Tawadros II (ANSA) | | | Pope to Tawadros II: May our friendship never stop growing Vatican News “Pope Francis on Thursday (May 11) addressed Coptic-Orthodox Pope Tawadros II and his delegation, who are in Rome to celebrate 50 years of Coptic and Catholic relationships, as well as the tenth anniversary of their first meeting in 2013.” | | | | | |
 | Image: Golani Brigade soldiers during training in northern Israel, February 16, 2015. (Israel Defense Forces) | | | 3 Golani soldiers sentenced to jail for beating Palestinian man Times of Israel “Three soldiers were convicted and handed jail sentences on Wednesday (May 24) over their involvement in an incident where troops beat and later abandoned a Palestinian man in the West Bank last month, the Israel Defense Forces said.” | | | | | | | | | |
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 | Action Alert: HR 3103 The Palestinian Children and Families Act. With the rise of violence in the West Bank growing by the day under the new Israeli government, it is critical members of Congress join Rep. McCollum and sponsor HR 3103. Congress must ensure U.S. taxpayer dollars are not used to violate Palestinian human rights and further annex Palestinian land in the West Bank. Such actions–which only exacerbate the conflict–should not be funded with assistance from the U.S. government. | | | | |  | Fast and Pray for Palestine: Join Churches for Middle East Peace for our second monthly prayer session as we gather to pray for the end of the Gaza Blockade on June 14th at 12:30-1pm EST via zoom. We will be joined by George Antone, the director of the Caritas Medical Center in Gaza and a lecturer at the Latin Patriarchate Thomas Aquinas Center. | | | | |  | CMEP Film Screening: Sunday, June 25, 2023. On average, two Palestinian kids are arrested every night by the Israeli army. They are interrogated, tried, and sent to prison. The film Two Kids a Day describes the use of minors' arrests to control and repress Palestinian society. Join Churches for Middle East Peace on Sunday June 25th at 12 pm Pacific/3 pm Eastern for a virtual screening of the film and a conversation with the film director and co-producer. If you are interested in hosting a satellite screening of this event at your church, contact Jennifer at jennifer@cmep.org | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Support CMEP: Make CMEP a part of your summer plans. Donate to our work that continues year-round. | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | Image: Armenian groups say that the signing of the lease could pose a threat to Jerusalem's Armenian Quarter (Getty) | | | Armenian groups urge Jerusalem Patriarch to withdraw from deal leasing properties in the Old City to Israeli investor New Arab “A number of Armenian groups on Saturday (May 20) have decried the actions of Jerusalem’s Armenian Orthodox Church Patriarch's involvement in property agreements with Israeli investors, demanding he withdraws from the deal.” | | | | | |
 | Image: Photo of Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit. Photo taken on December 9, 2022, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Reuters/Ahmed Yosri) | | | Far-right minister says Israel 'in charge' during visit to Jerusalem holy site
Reuters “Israel's hard-right Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited a site in Jerusalem holy to both Muslims and Jews on Sunday and declared Israel was ‘in charge’, drawing condemnation from Palestinians after months of escalating tension and violence.” | | | | | |  | Image: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attending the Arab League Summit in Jeddah.
| | | What's next for Syria after Assad's regional comeback? Al-Monitor “Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has returned to the Arab fold after more than a decade of isolation, eyeing reconstruction and aid from formers foes as the conflict grinds on. Since the brutal civil war broke out in 2011, it has killed more than 500,000 people, displaced millions and devastated much of the country's infrastructure and industry.” | | | | | | | |
| | CMEP's Bulletin is a weekly round-up of news from the Middle East and represents an array of perspectives on the issues we cover. CMEP does not necessarily agree with all the views expressed in the articles, and they do not speak on CMEP's behalf. | | | | Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
110 Maryland Ave NE, Suite 505 | Washington, District of Columbia 20002
(202) 543-1222 | info@cmep.org | | Please note our offices have changed locations to 110 Maryland Ave NE #505 | | | | | |
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