December 13th News Bulletin

Syrians may be celebrating the fall of Assad, but the country's future is uncertain.

Shaken by Assad's sudden fall, Syria faces seismic turning point

BBC

“In the end the Assad regime was so hollow, corrupt and decayed that it collapsed in less than a fortnight. No one I have spoken to has been anything other than astonished by the speed with which the regime turned to dust. In the spring of 2011, the year of the Arab uprisings, it was different, when Syrians tried to grab some of the revolutionary magic that had swept away the presidents of Tunisia and Egypt and was threatening the veteran strongmen of Libya and Yemen."

People celebrate next to a sculpture of Sultan Pasha al-Atrash, a Druze warrior who led a revolt against French rule in 1925, after Syrian rebels announced that they had ousted President Bashar Assad, in Majdal Shams, a Druze village in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, Dec. 9, 2024. (OSV News photo/Shir Torem, Reuters)

From CMEP's Own: These Forgotten Christians Know What It’s Like To Be Without a Country

The Jesuit Review

“In the aftermath of the astonishing collapse of the al-Assad dynasty, long-suffering Syrians should be allowed a moment of joy and celebration, says Daniel Corrou, S.J., even if what comes next remains anyone’s guess. Indeed, in Umayyad Square in Damascus, Syrians celebrated into a third day on Dec. 10 as insurgents who took control of the capital city just a few days before tried to contain what had become deafening rounds of celebratory gunfire.”

Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in Damascus on December 10. Omar Haj Kadour/AFP/Getty Images

Israel strikes Syria 480 times and seizes territory as Netanyahu pledges to change face of the Middle East

CNN

“The collapse of the Assad regime has prompted a punishing military response from Israel, which has launched airstrikes at military targets across Syria and deployed ground troops both into and beyond a demilitarized buffer zone for the first time in 50 years. The Israeli military on Tuesday said it had carried out about 480 strikes across the country over the past two days, hitting most of Syria’s strategic weapon stockpiles, while Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Israeli navy had destroyed the Syrian fleet overnight, hailing the operation as “a great success.”
 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during their meeting at Ankara Esenboga Airport in Turkey on December 12, 2024. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/Pool via REUTERS

Blinken meets Erdogan as forces backed by US, Turkey clash in Syria

Reuters

“U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Turkey on Thursday for talks focused on a critical aspect of establishing stability in Syria: clashes in the north of the country between U.S.-backed Kurdish forces and Turkey-backed rebels. Blinken is due in Ankara on Thursday after visiting Jordan on his first trip to the region after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government was ousted on Sunday. He was due to hold talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday.”

Dec 9, 2024 CMEP Statement: International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime

CMEP, along with more than a dozen humanitarian organizations, put out a statement marking the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide. Today, as the world marks the adoption of the Genocide Convention in 1948, we are reminded of its solemn promise: never again. This landmark treaty arose from humanity’s collective horror at atrocities committed such as the Holocaust—reminders of the depths to which we can fall when the world turns a blind eye to suffering. The genocide in Namibia, alongside later atrocities in Rwanda and Bosnia, serve as stark reminders of the ongoing need for vigilance and action to uphold the treaty’s principles and ensure an end to impunity.

Dec 12, 2024: CMEP Statement about the Latest Developments in Syria

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) acknowledges the immense pain and suffering endured by the Syrian people under decades of rule by the Assad regimes, and of the past 14 years of war in the country. The devastating impacts of this prolonged conflict have left millions displaced, communities fractured, and hopes for peace and dignity unrealized. Thus, this moment presents an opportunity for a new beginning and a future in which all Syrians can live free from oppression with their dignity and freedom respected. CMEP opposes armed militancy as a mechanism of asserting power over the general populace and calls on the United States government to support a Syrian-led transition to an inclusive state, where the rights and protections of all individuals and communities are upheld.

CMEP Action Alert

During the Advent season (through Orthodox Christmas) Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and other partners are joining together to call for a suspension of arms sales to Israel and push for a comprehensive permanent ceasefire and an end to all violence. As Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank continue to suffer under the Israeli military aggression, the United States must end its active participation in the ongoing violence by halting all arms sales to Israel.

As Christians prepare for the season of Advent where we celebrate the Prince of Peace, please consider joining CMEP in our Advent not Arms campaign. Make your voices heard today by letting your members of Congress you want the U.S. government to prioritize peace and an end to violence over continuing to supply weapons that will cause further death and destruction.

CMEP Sponsors Take a Stand for the Holy Land Campaign

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is co-sponsoring the Take a Stand for the Holy Land Campaign alongside the Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace (PCAP) and Friends of Sabeel North America. This campaign was created to call attention to Israel’s confiscation of Christian and Muslim property and escalation of violence against Palestinians. The campaign is also endorsed by sixteen organizations, including groups from nine major US denominations as per the latest press release. Take a Stand for the Holy Land aims to increase awareness among American Christians on the land left and persecution facing the Palestinian Christian community.

Advent not Arms

Join Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and other partners this Advent season (through Orthodox Christmas) as we call for a suspension of arms sales to Israel and push for a comprehensive permanent ceasefire and end to all violence. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, we invite you to journey with us in advocating of an holy season of peace through our campaign Advent Not Arms. Throughout the next several weeks we will provide multifaceted resources and events including a virtual and in person Advent vigils for peace, ways to reach out to your elected officials, and more as we continue to  pursue peace for all in Israel/Palestine, Lebanon, and all in the region. For more information and to contact your members of Congress click the link below.

A Peace & Reconciliation Conference Series Jesus/Eisa & the Qur'an

This educational conference is inspired by the fact that Jesus (Eisa in The Quran) holds a unique and revered position in both Islam and Christianity. It aims to explore Jesus and his teachings, focusing on his principles rather than doctrinal differences. By doing so, we seek to foster understanding, reconciliation, and collaboration between Muslim and Christian communities.

The dates for this educational conference are December 13-15, 2024. The conference will be hybrid, conducted online to support global participation and in-person in Washington D.C. to support in-depth engagement amongst U.S. Government influencers and decision-makers. The core of the conference consists of three two-hour sessions of expert speakers conducted in a time frame that allows all participants to connect simultaneously from time zones around the world: 11AM-1PM EST, 8AM-10AM PST, 8PM-10PM PKT (Pakistan).

There will be an in-person gathering as part of the online-conference on Friday December 13th, 10:30AM – 1:30PM at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 (Conference Room 401-F). The room capacity is 40 people, so please let us know upon registration if you would like to attend the local gathering. Seats will be allocated on a first come first serve basis.

Call to Prayer Preceding the Tent of Nations December 18th Court Date

As the Tent of Nations court date approaches on December 18th, we call our community to join us in sustained and ongoing prayer for the land, the Nassar family, and for justice to finally be done. We will pray together for the Nassar's each Wednesday during our community prayer time on Zoom and also ask that you include this case in your individual daily prayers, Sunday prayers of the people during worship, and in other communities of faithful solidarity. 

O Come, O Come Justice: A Global Advent Not Arms Vigil 

On December 18th, join Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and bishops & executive leaders from around the world for an online vigil as part of our Advent Not Arms international campaign. 

Christ is Still in the Rubble: A Liturgy of Samud

Last year, Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac's Christ in the Rubble Service became an overnight phenomenon in Christian communities and the world thanks to the service's prophetic message calling for justice in Palestine. This year, Christ is Still in the Rubble, and Rev. Dr. Isaac will again deliver an Advent message to the world– live from Bethlehem. Join us via livestream at 10 AM ET / 5 PM Jerusalem on Friday, December 20th, 2024 to hear his words. The service will be streamed in Arabic with English captioning.

CMEP Announcement: Live Thursday News Briefings

Every Thursday, CMEP Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon held live briefings about the latest developments in the Middle East. We will pause our live Thursday news briefings for the rest of December as we observe the holiday season.  As we discern how to continue with these updates into 2025, we solicit your feedback on the format and timing of our weekly news summaries and whether or not you’ve found them helpful. Please click the link below and fill out the survey so we can hear your feedback!

Gaza's Civil Defence says seven guards were killed in a strike in Rafah, while another attack left five guards dead in Khan Younis.

Israeli strikes kill 12 guarding Gaza aid lorries, medics say

BBC

“At least 35 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza, including 12 guarding incoming aid lorries, local medics and the Hamas-run Civil Defence authority say. Seven guards were killed in a strike in Rafah while protecting aid lorries from violent armed theft, which UN workers say is the main obstacle to getting supplies into southern Gaza. Another attack left five guards dead in Khan Younis.”

You can read more about this incident and more in this independent Gisha Report, an Israeli Human Rights Organization reporting on Israeli Human Rights abuses. 
 

U.S. National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan looks on during a press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel, 12 December 2024. ABIR SULTAN/Pool via REUTERS​​​​​​

US national security adviser Sullivan says he believes a Gaza deal may be close

Reuters

“U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Thursday he believed a deal on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release may be close as Israel had signaled it was ready and there were signs of movement from Hamas. After meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Sullivan said: "It might not happen but I believe it can happen with political will on both sides."He said he planned to travel to Qatar and Egypt, Washington's fellow moderators of the talks, to advance efforts that "would start bringing those hostages home. It would also allow for a massive surge in humanitarian assistance."

Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 30, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/EDUARDO MUNOZ)

UNGA vote demands ceasefire, denounces Israel’s UNRWA restrictions

Jerusalem Post

"The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted on Wednesday to demand an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the immediate release of all hostages. The ceasefire demand in the resolution - adopted with 158 votes in favor in the 193-member assembly - was expressed in more urgent language than one urging an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza that the body "called for" in October 2023, then "demanded" in December 2023."
 

Pax Christi Delegation in front of the Gaza Border (Photo by Paul Jeffrey).

Isaiah’s prophecy to the nations and vision of peace: End the genocide in Gaza

Pax Christi USA

This Advent, Pax Christi USA joined the call to suspend offensive arms sales to Israel as the path toward a just peace in Israel and Palestine. 
Reflecting on his visits to Israel and Palestine, Scott Wright of Pax Christi USA recounts testimonies from survivors of the October 7 Hamas attack and the devastating toll of Israeli bombings in Gaza, where over 45,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children. He highlights the erosion of human rights due to U.S. military aid and calls for an end to violence, solidarity with Palestinian resilience, and the pursuit of peace. He echoes Rabbi Avi Dabush’s vision for coexistence, where people of all faiths live as “sisters and brothers,” and exemplifies the hope for peace “from the river to the sea.”

Advent Not Arms D.C. Prayer Vigil December 10th

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) on December 10th at Shiloh Baptist Church held an “Advent Not Arms” prayer vigil for peace. This vigil featured remarks from Christian leaders representing several our member denominations and organizations. This evening vigil also took place on International Human Rights Day, as we call Christians around the world to stand for values of justice and dignity for Gaza and all people in the Middle East. 

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