 |  | December 8th Update Bulletin Though we may be weary, we must continue with urgency towards a ceasefire and peace. | |  | Christmas Ceasefire Service: Join CMEP and other sponsoring organizations for a Christmas Ceasefire service, followed by an optional Prayer Walk to the White House. We'll gather at The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church at 6 pm on December 11th (livestream available), where we will hear from leaders calling for a ceasefire. Afterward, those who would like to may join us for a Prayer Walk to the White House. | | | | | | | |  | Image: Relatives and friends of hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group call for their release in the Hostages Square at the Museum of Art in Tel Aviv, Israel, Dec. 2. (AP/Ariel Schalit) | | | Visionary leaders could point toward a just peace in the Holy Land National Catholic Reporter "Is it possible to shed some light on the very dark conflict in the Holy Land? Based upon my travels and meetings with local leaders in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza over a period of some 14 years, I believe there is hope. Although my last trips were in 2018, the fundamental dynamics of the conflict have not changed.” | | | | | | | |  | Image: Smoke rises above buildings in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Dec. 5. Photo: Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images. | | | | | Visionary leaders could point toward a just peace in the Holy Land Axios “The Israeli military expanded its ground operation on Monday (Dec. 4) night local time in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, the Israeli Defense Force said in a statement on Tuesday. Why it matters: This is a significant development in the war after most of the ground operations in the last 60 days took place in Gaza City and the northern parts of the enclave. The IDF believes Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif are hiding in Khan Younis, and one of the main goals of the operation in the city is to capture or kill them, officials say." | | | | | |  | CMEP’s And Still We Rise (ASWR) Coordinator, Palestinian Christian Tamar Haddad, was part of a delegation that came to the White House to hand over a letter to President Biden and his administration. She was featured on NPR alongside Rev. Munther Isaac and Rev. Jack Sara. Listen to the interview now: Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank, will skip Christmas festivities this year, National Public Radio (NPR), December 2, 2023. | | |  | Community Calls to Congress has become more interactive on Mondays; Join on Mondays fo CMEP Senior Director of Advocacy and Government Relations Kyle Cristofalo in a Zoom meeting every Monday to ask questions about advocacy and be encouraged in collective advocacy as we call for a Ceasefire Now! | | | | | | | |  | Pray: Churches for Middle East Peace invites you to pray for peace in light of recent events in Gaza, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories.
Register to join us next Wednesday. | | |  | Join us Thursdays for the Weekly Briefing 10 - 10:30 am EST: Hear from CMEP Staff and other experts on the matter as we work to summarize what you need to know into a 30-minute live report. Register Now. | | |  | Give: Donate to partner with CMEP and amplify voices of peace as we increase our advocacy, education, and outreach efforts in this critical time. Donate Now. | | | | | |  | Stand in the G.A.P. Report Read our Stand in the G.A.P. Report to learn more about the efforts of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) since October 7, 2023. This publication includes information about what has occurred since October 7th, 2023, as well as events that have been confirmed but not yet completed as of December 1st, 2023. While we continue to cry out for a ceasefire and pursue peace we want to say thank you for the support and increased engagement from so many. | | | | | | |  | Advent Ceasefire Prayer Chains: Join Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) in an advent practice this year focused on praying for and calling for a ceasefire to the violence between Israel and Hamas. Create a "paper advent chain" that will guide you through daily calls in pursuit of peace this Advent season as we observe the spiritual season of waiting and longing for the coming of the Prince of Peace. There are options available for individuals and families as well as for churches and larger groups. | | | | | | | | | Recent Public Statements: December 2, 2023: A Ceasefire Is the Only Way Forward to Prevent Mass Killing, Further Death, and Destruction. With the temporary pause in violence having ended, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) condemns the escalating violence in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza that is having devastating effects on civilians. The Biden Administration’s reluctance to support a comprehensive ceasefire and its consistent practice of publicly articulating empty rhetoric about the protection of civilians is abhorrent as Israel continues its destructive bombardment on the Gaza Strip, and more than 170 have died in the first 24 hours. | | | | | | | Webinars you may have missed: | | | | |  | We also hosted an event earlier today entitled “Complicity and Its Consequences,” where CMEP staff was joined by legal and policy experts, including international affairs expert Craig Mokhiber, Maria LaHood from the Center for Constitutional Rights, and former State Department official Josh Paul. The conversation explored the ways the United States government is complicit in the ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. What are the laws and requirements governing the sales of U.S. arms to foreign governments? How should we understand the consequences of U.S. support for Israeli military actions on Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the West Bank? Hear from experts on these issues and learn more about what we can do to stop the killing and call for a permanent ceasefire by watching the video on our YouTube channel, available Monday. | | |  | Churches for Middle East Peace hosted a webinar on December 6th entitled: "Rhetoric and Peacebuilding" with expert speakers from spheres of human rights and international law for a nuanced and action-oriented conversation about the definitions, utility, and applicability of the terms 'genocide' and 'ethnic cleansing' as they relate to the current Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip. The full event is available to watch on our YouTube channel. Watch now. | | | | | | | | | | 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 | | | | | | | |
