FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, D.C. - May 12, 2022 Media Contact:
media@cmep.org
202-543-1222 Churches For Middle East Peace (CMEP) Affirms Need to Protect Historic Status Quo in Meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan On May 9, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) had the privilege of convening, in partnership with the Jordanian Embassy in the U.S., a roundtable discussion between His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan and distinguished ecumenical American Christian leaders. The meeting took place in New York City. In her remarks to His Majesty, CMEP's Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, affirmed the organization’s commitment to working with Jordan to further the protection of and access to holy sites in Jerusalem for Christians and Muslims. Several leaders representing CMEP’s member communions attended and shared their gratitude for Jordan’s commitment to interfaith engagement and pursuing a peaceful resolution to conflicts in the Middle East. Leaders shared their concerns on Israel/Palestine regarding the ongoing occupation of Palestinian lands and the rise in home demolitions and displacement of Palestinians throughout the West Bank.
In response to the meeting, Rev. Dr. Cannon said, “We were grateful to have the opportunity to be in conversation with His Majesty King Abdullah. We discussed topics of core concern to CMEP and our member Communions, including maintaining the Status Quo for all worshipers in Jerusalem, concerns about the rise in violence in Jerusalem, and displacement of Palestinians as a result of the continued occupation. On behalf of CMEP, I look forward to continuing this critical dialogue with King Abdullah and our Jordanian counterparts to ensure we see real progress toward addressing these realities in the months and years ahead.” CMEP affirms the sacredness of the Holy City to two people groups - Israelis and Palestinians - and the three Abrahamic faith traditions of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Read the press release from the Jordanian government about this historic meeting here. |
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| Formed in 1984, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is a coalition of 30 national church communions and organizations, including Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Evangelical traditions that works to encourage US policies that actively promote a comprehensive resolution to conflicts in the Middle East with a focus on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. CMEP works to mobilize US Christians to embrace a holistic perspective and to be advocates of equality, human rights, security, and justice for Israelis, Palestinians, and all people of the Middle East. |
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