Here’s what’s upcoming and what you may have missed at CMEP and in the news.
Middle East News
1. US and Iran sign initial deal to end war, ease sanctions and open strait as nuclear talks continue
AP News
"President Donald Trump signed an agreement with Iran on Wednesday that calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and waives U.S.-backed sanctions on the country, immediately allowing Iran to sell its oil freely in a major concession from Washington, according to details released by both countries. The initial deal to end the war takes “immediate effect” after leaders from both countries signed it, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who helped mediate the agreement, said online. The agreement calls for a permanent end to hostilities and starts a 60-day negotiating clock to reach a final deal on the future of Iran’s nuclear program, though Trump left the door open to resume attacks. It appears to offer Iran several benefits up front while extracting little in return."
2. Death toll from Israeli fire in Gaza since ceasefire passes 1,000, says health ministry
Reuters
"The number of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in Gaza has reached more than 1,000 since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire last October, the enclave's health ministry said on Thursday, as at least three people were reported killed in the latest strike. Medics said an Israeli strike hit a vehicle on the main Omar Al-Mokhtar road in Gaza City, killing three, as violence continues despite a new truce push by mediators. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident."
3. Israel approves settler building plans in Palestinian West Bank city
Reuters
"Israel on Wednesday approved the expansion of a Jewish school for settlers living in the centre of the Palestinian city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, in a construction push that Palestinians say violates a decades-old agreement. Israel's finance minister announced the plans a day after saying he had scrapped a deal that gave the Palestinian municipality control over certain planning and construction around Hebron's historic core, home to a flashpoint holy shrine."
4. Settlers set fire to two West Bank mosques overnight
The Times of Israel
"Israeli settlers set fire to mosques in two West Bank villages on Wednesday, the local mayors said, while AFP journalists at the site saw signs of arson and vandalism. The military confirmed to AFP the arson and graffiti on the mosques, but did not identify the perpetrators. 'The forces searched the area for suspects and located two burned mosques, as well as graffiti on the walls. The suspects had fled prior to the arrival of the forces,' it said in a statement. Osama Abdullah, head of the village council in Jiljiliya, north of Ramallah, told AFP that 'settlers set fire to the ablution room, caused damage to the village’s main mosque, and scrawled hostile slogans on the outer walls.' AFP journalists who visited the mosque on Wednesday reported that the ceiling, walls, and floors were blackened by smoke and flames."
5. The economy in the occupied West Bank is being dismantled, report says
AP News
"The economy in the West Bank is teetering toward collapse as Israel maintains a web of restrictions that limit opportunities for Palestinians living under long-term military occupation, according to a new report from a leading conflict tracker. The International Crisis Group says that Israeli measures restricting movement, withholding revenue and taking land are not only crippling the Palestinian economy but also fueling deep instability. 'The economic conditions necessary for any Palestinian future other than permanent subjugation are being dismantled,' it says. The report, based on interviews with Palestinian business leaders, mayors and government officials, details the financial crisis afflicting companies, households and the internationally backed Palestinian Authority, which administers cities and towns in the West Bank."
6. Trump says he talked to Syrian leader about taking on Hezbollah
Reuters
"U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had spoken to Syria's leader about combatting Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, a day after criticizing Israel for killing too many civilians and not getting the job done. Asked at a Group of Seven summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, if he had talked to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa about Hezbollah, Trump nodded and said 'yes.' Asked if Sharaa was willing to take on the Shi'ite armed group, Trump said he would talk about that later."
7. Israel will not withdraw from southern Lebanon until security restored, Netanyahu vows
The Jerusalem Post
"The IDF will not withdraw from Israel's security strip in southern Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday, as tensions escalated between Jerusalem and Washington over a US-Iran agreement that calls for an end to hostilities in Lebanon and a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. Speaking during a ceremony for the re-inauguration of Route 60 in Israel's North, the prime minister vowed that Israel 'will restore security to the north,' adding that "'his requires maintaining the security strip in southern Lebanon, and that requires that we not withdraw as long as Israel's security needs require it.' Netanyahu's statements came after IDF Arabic Spokesperson Col. (res.) Avichay Adraee published an infographic map of the security zone in southern Lebanon, within 10 km. of the Lebanese border on X/Twitter."
8. Greek Orthodox Patriarchate denounces Israeli seizure of church land in Jerusalem
Middle East Eye
"The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem has denounced the 'unlawful and illegitimate' Israeli seizure of its property in occupied East Jerusalem. In a statement on Wednesday, the Patriarchate said that it 'expressed grave concern over the Israeli raid and land grab targeting its Church property in Silwan.' During the operation, which took place on Monday, 'the Patriarchate’s representative was forcibly removed, his equipment was confiscated, trees were uprooted, and the property was enclosed with fencing and gates.' It said that the disputed land, which is adjacent to the Monastery of St Onuphrius, is registered under its ownership, and warned that this seizure 'sets a dangerous precedent for Church rights in Jerusalem.' This move is part of a broader policy aimed at seizing Palestinian land, including private property, public land, religious endowments and church-owned assets, the statement added."
June 4, 2026: CMEP Call to Prayer: Natalie Abu Dayyeh
CMEP calls its supporters to pray for Natalie Abu Dayyeh, a 20-year-old Christian-Palestinian university student who was arrested by Israeli forces on June 1st 2026. The family and lawyer have not been allowed direct access to Natalie, nor have they been informed about why she has been arrested. Natalie is being held under administrative detention, which allows Israel to hold Palestinians indefinitely without charge or trial. We ask that you keep Natalie in your prayers as we hope and pray for her release. Join us every Wednesday at 12:30 EST to join the CMEP community as we pray for Natalie and peace in the Holy Land.
CMEP calls on our supporters to take action by contacting their members of Congress and urging them to advocate for the release of Natalie and other Palestinians held without charge or trial. Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your representatives and senators. After making your call, please email [email protected] to let us know that you took action and to help us track advocacy efforts.
Jun 15, 2026: Statement: Churches for Middle East Peace Elevates the Statement of the Lutheran Church and Expresses Concern Over the Arrest of Four Palestinian University Students
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joins Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad and The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) in expressing deep concern over the arbitrary arrest of four Palestinian female university students in the occupied West Bank, including Joulan Abu Awwad, Sama Safi, Laila Khalil, and ELCJHL youth Natalie Abu Diya.
Jun 18, 2026: CMEP Welcomes U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding and Calls for Comprehensive Regional Peace
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomes the recently announced Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran as a possible first step toward a broader and more durable peace in the Middle East. For far too long, the peoples of the region have borne the devastating consequences of war, military escalation, displacement, and political instability. This agreement must mark the beginning of a comprehensive diplomatic process that will halt violence across the region and create the conditions necessary for a just and lasting peace.
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.
We are not giving up on pursuing peace! And CMEP's executive director persists in pursuit of completing a 140.6 IronMan triathlon on behalf of Gaza. "Persistence is an essential quality for peace. I have learned that lesson again and again in life, and never more so than in my pursuit of a deeply personal and transformative journey — one that challenges me both physically and emotionally. Through my training for, and eventual completion of, an Ironman Triathlon, I aim to raise $140,600 to support a cause that is close to my heart: bringing freedom, justice, and peace to the Middle East."- Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Executive Director of CMEP
Session 3: The Belhar Confession and the Moral Imperative of Justice in Palestine
Date: June 22 Time: 11:00 AM–12:15 PM ET
This webinar is facilitated by CMEP's executive director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, and features Rev. Eddy Alemán, General Secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches; Rev. Dr. Allan Boesak, South African anti-apartheid leader and one of the authors of the Belhar Confession; and Rev. Dr. Marzouk, a Palestinian theologian and biblical scholar. The session explores the continuing relevance of the Belhar Confession, a Christian statement of faith written during apartheid in South Africa that calls the church to pursue unity, justice, and reconciliation in the face of oppression. Drawing on South Africa's experience of apartheid and Palestinian perspectives on contemporary struggles for justice, speakers will reflect on how the Belhar Confession continues to challenge churches to stand with marginalized communities, confront injustice, and bear witness to God's vision of liberation and peace.
June 28 2026: (Chicago) Destiny Magnett Guest Sermon at Missio Dei Uptown
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Destiny Magnett is the Programs and Outreach Manager at Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) where she serves as the primary liaison for church partners, oversees CMEP’s online and in-person educational programming, and co-leads the grassroots regional coordinator network. Grounded in deep commitments to justice, she draws from her own ecumenical Christian identity to help diverse American Christian communities deepen their understandings of the Middle East through storytelling, theological and scriptural investigation, and dialogue. Destiny holds an MTS and Religion & Public Life Certificate from Harvard Divinity School, where her work focused on decoloniality, religious ethics, peacebuilding, and religion in the public sphere. She also holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from Grinnell College.
July 15, 2026: Faithful Advocacy, Urgent Times: Middle East Policy Update
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET
On July 15th at 1PM EST join Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and DC-based experts Sasha Ghosh-Siminoff (ELCA) & Josh Paul (A New Policy) for the latest updates from Capitol Hill relating to U.S. policies impacting Israel, Palestine, and the broader Middle East. Beyond providing the latest landscaping, speakers will also offer advocacy action steps and specific advice for outreach to congressional offices on key legislative priorities.
June 15, 2026: Session 2: APARTHEID: Faith, Resistance, and the Politics of Solidarity
Time: 11:00 AM–12:15 PM ET
This webinar is facilitated by CMEP's executive director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, and features critical voices in the current conversation about the U.S., South Africa, and Palestine, including South African anti-apartheid activists Rev. Dr. Frank Chikane and Rev. René August, and Palestinian Christian Father Fadi El Diab. The session examines apartheid as a political, legal, and theological system. Drawing on South Africa’s history of racial segregation and liberation, speakers will explore how apartheid is defined, how systems of domination and exclusion are sustained, and why the language of apartheid remains central to debates about justice in Palestine and Israel today. The conversation will consider the role of churches and faith leaders in resisting oppression and advancing movements for dignity, equality, and liberation.
