 |  | June 20th News Bulletin Here’s what’s upcoming and what you may have missed at CMEP and in the news. | | | | 1. Israel says Iran was racing toward a nuclear weapon. US intel says it was years away CNN "When Israel launched its series of strikes against Iran last week, it also issued a number of dire warnings about the country’s nuclear program, suggesting Iran was fast approaching a point of no return in its quest to obtain nuclear weapons and that the strikes were necessary to preempt that outcome. But US intelligence assessments had reached a different conclusion – not only was Iran not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon, it was also up to three years away from being able to produce and deliver one to a target of its choosing, according to four people familiar with the assessment.” | | | | | | 2. 4 things to know as the war between Israel and Iran intensifies NPR "U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is discouraging governments around the world from attending a U.N. conference next week on a possible two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, according to a U.S. cable seen by Reuters. The diplomatic demarche, sent on Tuesday, says countries that take "anti-Israel actions" following the conference will be viewed as acting in opposition to U.S. foreign policy interests and could face diplomatic consequences from Washington." | | | | | | 3. Exclusive: US moving fighter jets to Middle East as Israel-Iran war rages Reuters "The U.S. military is deploying more fighter aircraft to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, bolstering U.S. military forces in the region as the war between Israel and Iran rages, three U.S. officials said. One of the officials said the deployments include F-16, F-22 and F-35 fighter aircraft. Two of the officials stressed the defensive nature of the deployment of fighter aircraft, which have been used to shoot down drones and projectiles." | | | | | | 4. Hundreds flee into Azerbaijan and Armenia from Iran Reuters "More than 600 people of 17 nationalities have fled into Azerbaijan from Iran in the five days since the start of the air war between Israel and Iran, an Azerbaijani source with knowledge of the situation said on Tuesday. Armenian news agency Armenpress reported separately that India has evacuated 110 of its nationals from Iran via Armenia." | | | | | | | | June 10, 2025: ACTION ALERT "Gaza Humanitarian Aid" On June 4th, 2025, House Resolution 473 was introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives calling for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. The resolution calls for the Trump Administration to use the diplomatic tools at its disposal to end the war, resume humanitarian aid, and return Israeli hostages. The resolution comes as Gaza faces imminent famine and collapsing healthcare infrastructure. Congress needs to pressure the Trump Administration to protect Palestinian civilians through the passage of HRes. 473. Your voice can push your representative to support this vital resolution and combat acute malnutrition, chronic food insecurity, and food and medicine shortages. Contact your representative and urge them to support the initiative. | | | | | | Beyond Horizons: Racing for Liberation Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) presents Beyond Horizons: Racing for Liberation, a bold fundraising journey led by Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon. As she trains for and completes a full Ironman Triathlon—140.6 miles of swimming, biking, and running—Rev. Dr. Cannon aims to raise $1000 per mile for a total of $140,600 in support of peace, justice, and liberation in the Middle East. All funds raised will support the work of Churches for Middle East Peace, an organization Rev. Dr. Cannon has had the privilege of leading for over 8 years. For over 40 years, CMEP has been advocating, educating, and elevating voices in the Middle East, with the steadfast belief that peace is possible, and justice will prevail when we work together. We invite you to donate $70.30—just $1 for every mile of last weeks race—to stand with Rev. Dr. Cannon and support the transformative work of CMEP. Your gift will not only encourage Rev. Dr. Cannon through this physical and spiritual challenge but will also directly support CMEP’s mission to bring peace and justice to a region that so desperately needs it. | | | | | | | | May 30, 2025: ACTION ALERT "Letters for Gaza" Join Churches for Middle East Peace "Letters for Gaza" action alert. "Letters for Gaza" is a U.S. coalition-led campaign mobilizing thousands of citizens nationwide to urge their members of Congress to support full, unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza and an immediate halt to the bombardment of civilians. Members of Congress have the power to pressure the Trump Administration to use all diplomatic tools to lift the blockade and push for a permanent ceasefire. YOU have the power to influence your representatives and urge them to stand firm. Handwritten letters move members of Congress in ways that other forms of advocacy don’t. That's why we're asking you to take one simple but powerful action: Write one handwritten letter to your member of Congress — and ask a friend to do the same. | | | | | | June 30, 2025: Call to Prayer for Shadi Khoury In 2022, Shadi was arrested, beaten, and held in military detention for 44 days. Since his release, Shadi has attended more than thirty court sessions and forced to schedule his life around court dates that could potentially be postponed at the last minute. His last hearing, which took place April 27, 2025, was postponed when a witness, who is a child, failed to appear. The postponement of this hearing prolongs an unjust and psychologically demoralizing process. Shadi's next hearing is scheduled for June 30, 2025. Please join us in praying for all charges to be dropped so that Shadi and his family can be free from this burden. | | | | | | Join CMEP in celebrating World Refugee Day. CAC (Catholic Advisory Council) leader Julie Cohen recently published an article on Trump's refugee policy for Afrikaners, reflecting on the religious nature of the administration's immigration policies and the importance of protecting refugees. Read more below. | | | | | | | | July 06, 2025: Destiny Magnett Guest Sermon at Second Unitarian Church On Sunday, July 6th, join Churches for Middle East Peace’s Destiny Magnett for a special guest sermon at Second Unitarian Church (Omaha, NE). Destiny’s sermon will explore the call to advocate for peace and justice in the Middle East. Second Unitarian provides opportunities to join worship both online and in-person. | | | | July 13, 2025: Destiny Magnett Guest Sermon at Rock Spring UCC Join CMEP’s outreach manager, Destiny Magnett, at Rock Spring UCC where she will be delivering a guest sermon on July 13th. Rock Spring is a longtime church partner of CMEP and we look forward to worshipping alongside them on this special Sunday. Join us in-person at Rock Spring (5010 Little Falls Road, Arlington, VA 22207) or via livestream at 10:00 AM ET. | | | | | | Church at the Crossroads September 11-13 Join Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and faithful witnesses from across the country for Church at the Crossroads, a national gathering of Christians who recognize that the church stands at a defining moment–Jesus is urgently calling us back to the narrow way of the cross. As violence escalates in Israel and Palestine, and some in the Church use Scripture to justify war, occupation, or silence, we must ask: Have we traded the gospel of peace for the false promises of security and comfort?
Rooted in Scripture and led by Palestinian Christian leaders, including CMEP executive director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon—alongside pastors and peacemakers from across North America—this conference invites American Christians to engage in honest reckoning, prophetic reflection, and faithful action. Through worship, prayer, teaching, and fellowship, we are called to repentance, renewal, and courageous discipleship. This is a space to confront harmful theologies, rediscover the gospel of the Kingdom, and stand with all who seek justice in the land. | | | | | | | | 5. Israel vows to hold Iran's leader accountable for "war crimes" after Iranian missile slams into hospital CBS News "An Iranian missile slammed into the main hospital in southern Israel early Thursday, leaving dozens of people with minor injuries, causing significant damage, and drawing a swift vow from Israeli leaders of intensified attacks on Iran's military and "government targets." Israel's defense chief accused Iran of war crimes and said its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be held accountable." | | | | | | 6. Israeli forces kill 51 Palestinians waiting for flour at Gaza aid site, witnesses and rescuers say BBC "Israeli forces have killed more than 51 Palestinians and wounded many more after opening fire near an aid distribution site in southern Gaza, witnesses and rescuers say. The Hamas-run civil defence agency said Israeli troops fired on crowds near the aid site in Khan Younis. More than 200 people were reportedly injured. The Israeli military has told the BBC it is looking into the reports. It is the latest, and potentially the deadliest, of the almost daily shootings that have been taking place recently near aid distribution sites in Gaza." | | | | | | 7. The Gaza Starvation Experiment International Crisis Group “As mediators chase an elusive ceasefire, a new U.S.-Israeli aid scheme has made food distribution another front line in Gaza. The U.S.-registered Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), unveiled in May to sidestep the UN and other relief agencies that have long worked in the strip, lost its director before distributing a single meal after he cited violations of humanitarian principles. Within days, the U.S.-Israeli plan for handing out rations at four “fortified hubs” devolved into widely predicted lethal chaos. Since the GHF began operations, dozens of Palestinians trying to reach the distribution points have been killed, many by Israel, and scores of others have been wounded.” | | | | | | 8. Historic Conference Aims to Strengthen Unity Among Christians in the Arab Levant Milhilard "A pivotal moment in the history of the Arab Levant took place in the Jordanian capital as religious leaders, thinkers, and academics gathered for the conference titled “Christians in the Arab Levant and the Aspirations for Unity and Enlightenment.” The event was held under the patronage of Prince Hassan bin Talal, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies, and included patriarchs, bishops, intellectual figures, and representatives from civil society organizations across various Arab countries." | | | | | | 9. Kurdish integration offers hope for Syria's reconstruction Le Monde "On March 10, a historic agreement was signed between Syria's transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF, a Kurdish-led coalition), General Mazloum Abdi, to integrate the autonomous Kurdish institutions of northeast Syria into the state. Three months later, General Michael Kurilla, who leads the US Central Command for the Middle East, delivered a positive assessment, telling the US House Armed Services Committee in Washington on June 10 that integration was going well despite some friction points. Kurilla added that Turkey, engaged militarily against Kurdish forces since 2016, was now playing a constructive role." | | | | | | | | 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 | | | | | | | |
