October 4th News Bulletin

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi meets on Thursday with a delegation from Churches for Peace in the Middle East (Petra photo)

CMEP in the News: Foreign minister warns of Israeli escalation, calls for ceasefire in meeting with Churches for Peace

The Jordan Times

"Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday warned of the risks posed by the escalating Israeli aggression in the region. During a meeting with a delegation from Churches for Peace in the Middle East, the top diplomat reiterated the need to stop the attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. Safadi stressed that establishing an independent, sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the pre-1967 borders remains the only viable solution for achieving lasting peace, security and stability in the region."

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah gives a televised address on September 19, 2024, in this screenshot taken from a video. Al-Manar TV/Reuters

Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut strike, group confirms

CNN

“The leader of the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on his underground headquarters in Beirut on Friday, Israel and Hezbollah confirmed. Nasrallah, who had led the powerful group for more than 30 years and was a hugely influential figure in the region, died when Israeli fighter jets struck in an area of the capital’s southern suburbs known as Dahiyeh.”

Iran launched at least 180 missiles into Israel, the latest in a series of escalating attacks in a years long conflict between Israel and Iran and its Arab allies.

Iran fires at least 180 missiles into Israel as regionwide conflict grows

AP News

“Iran launched at least 180 missiles into Israel on Tuesday, the latest in a series of rapidly escalating attacks between Israel and Iran and its Arab allies that threatens to push the Middle East closer to a regionwide war. Iran said the barrage was retaliation for a series of devastating blows Israel has landed in recent weeks against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has been firing rockets into Israel since the war in Gaza began. Earlier Tuesday, Israel launched what it said is a limited ground incursion in southern Lebanon.”

A man takes pictures of damaged buildings and debris in the aftermath of an Israeli strike, amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon, Oct. 3, 2024. MOHAMED AZAKIR/REUTERS

Dozens killed in new Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon and Gaza as some nations ramp up Lebanon evacuation plans

CBS

“At least seven health and rescue workers were killed in an Israeli airstrike on an apartment building in Beirut overnight, an Islamic health organization said Thursday, as Israel's battle against the Iran-backed groups Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza raged, fueling concern of a wider regional conflict. The strike in Beirut's residential Bashoura district hit a multi-story apartment building that houses an office of the Health Society, a group of civilian first responders affiliated with Hezbollah. It was the second airstrike to hit central Beirut this week, and the second to hit the Health Society in 24 hours. The Associated Press said no Israeli warning was issued to the area before the strike. Residents reported a sulfur-like smell, and Lebanon's state-run National News Agency accused Israel of using phosphorous bombs in the strike, which are prohibited by international law for use near civilian populations.”

Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes that struck the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, on 2 October. Photograph: Daniel Carde/Getty

Eight Israeli soldiers killed in clashes with Hezbollah in Lebanon

The Guardian

"Eight Israeli soldiers have been killed and a number of others wounded in three exchanges with Hezbollah in heavy fighting inside Lebanon.
The largest group of soldiers, from the commando brigade and including an officer, was involved in a clash with Hezbollah in a village north of the Israeli border community of Misgav Am, while two other soldiers from the Golani brigade were killed in a separate incident."

October 6th Solidarity Sunday

On Sunday, October 6th Churches for Middle East Peace and its 35 member denominations and communions call upon congregations in the U.S. and worldwide to pray for peace in Gaza and the broader Middle East as part of Solidarity Sunday. Resources to shape Sunday include prayers, worship, liturgy, and other aspects of Solidarity Sunday services, including videos from Palestinian Christian voices in the region and are varied, allowing each community to shape their Solidarity Sunday around their own traditions and commitments. This day of prayerful solidarity and calls for justice comes just as we prepare to mark the one-year anniversary of the horrific October 7th attacks and subsequent bombardment of Gaza.

October 7: Ecumenical Service of Lament

Join Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) on October 7th for a virtual service of lament as we reflect on the one-year anniversary of the devastating October 7th attacks and subsequent year-long bombardment of Gaza. The event will be on zoom and in person at the United Methodist Building Chapel in D.C. It will also be recorded for later viewing. 

Does "Just War" Justify Too Much?: How Christians Can Think Better About Mass Violence - Oct. 7th

"Just War" justify too much? Christian commentators such as David French regularly invoke just war theory to evaluate the ethics of the war in Gaza, but what exactly does that entail and how is it being used? Aside from pacifism and just war, are there other Christian ethical alternatives? Join the Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East as we briefly explore the just war tradition, its historical roots, the way the Church and governments use it today and how we can work, instead, towards a just peace.

Exploring the Contributions of Women Towards Peace, Dignity and Justice in the Holy Land

An interreligious conversation with two important Palestinian voices, Dr. Rima Salah and Dr. Eman Abdelhadi, on the past, present, and future of women’s empowerment, peacebuilding, and the pursuit of justice and dignity in the Holy Land.

Date and Time: October 8 at 7 pm
Location: The University Dining Room (AS 104-C), in the Academic Science building, Lewis University campus in Romeoville, IL

The event will also be live streamed.

October 9th Father Drew Christiansen at the University of Notre Dame

Dr. Rima Salah provides a Palestinian Christian woman’s perspective on the past, present, and future of women’s empowerment, peace-building, and striving for justice and dignity in the Holy Land.

Holding on in the Dark #1: Overview of the Israeli Legal System Under Occupation (ft. HaMoked)

On October 15th, join CMEP for the first installment of our five-part mini-series "Holding on in the Dark: Palestinians Pursuing Justice Under Occupation." To open the series, our first conversation will feature Jessica Montell, the Executive Director of the Israeli human rights organization HaMoked and longtime human-right activist and expert. In conversation with CMEP's Kyle Cristofalo, the episode will provide a glimpse into the systems of occupation, legal challenges for Palestinians within the Israeli system, and the cases we will be highlighting in the weeks to come. Learn more and register here.

Save the Date: Better Citizens, Better World- Oct. 16-19

Churches for Middle East Peace, in partnership with Evangelicals4Justice (E4J), Christians for Social Action (CSA), the Voices Project, and the Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East (NEME), invites you to save the date for conference exploring how to take small and courageous steps together with fellow Jesus-followers. The Better Citizens, Better World conference, hosted virtually October 16-19, 2024, invites participants to explore meaningful ways of engaging as thoughtful citizens who care deeply and prayerfully about our nation. Discover your important role as a citizen AND as a follower of Jesus.  

Updates from the Ground: Insights from CMEP's October 2024 Middle East Travel

On October 17th Join CMEP's Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon as she shares insights from her October 2024 Middle East travels. During her travels she met with a number of prominent religious leaders, government officials, and more. The event will be hosted on Zoom from 3-3:45PM EST.

Learning from Palestinian Catholics: Hardship & Hope in Israel-Palestine (Session at the 2024 Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice)

Join the Catholic Advisory Council (CAC) of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) for a special breakout session at the 2024 Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice in Washington DC entitled, “Learning from Palestinian Catholics: Hardship & Hope in Israel-Palestine.” This special breakout session will be held from 7:30-8:30 PM on the opening night of the conference, October 26th, and feature remarks from the CAC’s Julie Schumacher-Cohen and Shaddy Maklouf, a Palestinian-American Catholic Student.

And Still We Rise

And Still We Rise 2024 (ASWR2024) provides a safe space for Palestinian/ Middle Eastern and American/ international women to build community, invite transformation, grow in ecumenical faith, and take action. The ASWR Summit seeks to support the convening and elevation of Palestinian Christian women leaders.

Following a Georgetown University-hosted dialogue on reconciliation between bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families, attendees participated in a candlelit musical reflection (above) in February 2024. The service included a segment where Georgetown chaplains of Muslim Life and Jewish Life both read from sacred texts of their respective traditions in a prayer for peace. Photo courtesy of Georgetown University.

From CMEP’s Own Catholic Advisory Council: Gaza and Israel-Palestine: The role of Jesuit higher education in a time of turmoil

Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education

“Within Jesuit and Catholic institutions of higher education, there are many faculty, students, administrators, and staff engaged in the search for justice and peace in Israel-Palestine; for others it remains an issue that is “too complex” or “far removed” or “controversial.”

Julie Schumacher Cohen is assistant vice president of community engagement and government affairs at the University of Scranton. She is also a member of the Catholic Advisory Council of Churches for Middle East Peace, an ecumenical coalition of church bodies, having previously served as its deputy director.

(Left to right) Osama Abdl-Haleem, Ben Norquist, Awad Sifri, and Deborah Adelman speak at the Voices of Resistance discussion panel.
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CMEP in the News: “Voices of Resistance” Clamor for Peace in Middle East at Discussion Panel

The Courier

"Ben Norquist, a member of the nonprofit group Churches for Middle East Peace, discussed the humanitarian work he has been involved in. He mentioned a young Palestinian man he met named Ahmed, who lost his childhood home and got separated from his fiancee amidst the current conflict, noting how his story impacted him. “When I think about activism and my own aspirations to live a life of solidarity, it’s tempting for it to become about the activists,” he said. “It’s not about the activists. It’s about Ahmad and others like him. I have discovered that as I seek to aspire to live a life of solidarity, it comes with unexpected blessings. You’re opening your eyes to injustice and to very dark realities in the world.”

Palestinian teenager Diaa Al-Adini, who lost both of his arms in an Israeli attack on an apartment east of Deir al-Balah, Gaza, drinks water on Aug. 31, 2024. Doctors are forced to amputate the limbs of many patients in order to keep the wounded alive due to medical shortages in hospitals.HASSAN JEDI/ANADOLU VIA GETTY IMAGES

Nearly 100 U.S. Health Workers Who Served In Gaza Demand Arms Embargo To Israel

Huff Post

“Almost 100 American health care workers who have served in Gaza are demanding a U.S. arms embargo on Israel until a permanent cease-fire is reached — the latest plea for the Biden administration to end its unconditional support for Israel ahead of the anniversary of the country’s siege on the Palestinian territory. In a Wednesday letter first obtained by HuffPost, the multifaith and multiethnic group of physicians, surgeons, nurses and midwives are also demanding a meeting at the White House so they can discuss Israeli war crimes they say they witnessed while volunteering in Gaza’s hospitals and clinics.”

New study measures sentiment toward Israel among US religious audiences

Religious News Service

"A new survey, part of a multi-year research project measuring American Christian attitudes toward Jews, Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, shows that support for Israel among evangelicals is largely based on age and Biblical knowledge and has not been substantively impacted by the current Israel-Hamas war in Gaza."

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(202) 543-1222  info@cmep.org