Churches for Middle East Peace join international humanitarian organizations in warning that Israel’s recent registration measures threaten to shut down life-saving aid operations across Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. If allowed to proceed, these measures would force dozens of INGOs to cease operations, cutting off food, healthcare, shelter, and nutrition assistance to millions of civilians facing extreme need. Humanitarian access is not political or optional; it is a legal obligation under international humanitarian law that must be protected.

NRWA USA National Committee (UNRWA USA) led a national coalition of 104 civil society organizations, including Churches for Middle East Peace, to urge the Trump Administration to include the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in its plans for Gaza’s recovery. In a joint letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, refugee, human rights, and humanitarian organizations called on the Trump Administration “to re-open lines of communication with UNRWA and allow the Agency to continue fulfilling its mandate in accordance with international humanitarian principles, until a just and lasting solution to the plight of Palestine refugees is secured.”

Humanitarian Snapshot 13 exposes the grim realities facing Palestinians in the wake of the recent ceasefire deal. Drawing on testimonies from 45 NGOs and signed by more than two dozen leading aid and humanitarian organizations, the report documents ongoing Israeli obstruction of life-saving assistance, the deepening hardship on already-devastated communities, and the continued pattern of Israeli airstrikes despite the ceasefire framework. It also chronicles a sharp escalation of violence by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank, underscoring the widening crisis across the occupied territories. This snapshot offers an urgent, evidence-based call for action to protect civilians, ensure unfettered humanitarian access, and confront the structural violence driving this humanitarian emergency.

A delegation of Palestinian Americans from across the country met with Members of Congress on Capitol Hill this week to highlight the terrible suffering and loss that their families, friends and colleagues have suffered during the unfolding genocide in Gaza. As the fate of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza remains tenuous and uncertain, these Palestinian American families called on Congress and the Administration to ensure that the ceasefire does not just temporarily halt the fighting, but brings the occupation and destruction to a lasting end. The delegation, supported by the Arab American Institute, Churches for Middle East Peace, and American Friends Service Committee, called for Congress to take action to stop providing the Israeli government with American weapons that have been used to destroy Gaza and impose famine.  

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is deeply honored to be named the 2025 recipient of the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Award by 21Wilberforce. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Wissam al-Saliby and the 21Wilberforce Forum for this recognition of CMEP’s commitment to advancing peace and protecting religious freedom in the Middle East.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) proudly announces the launch of its Armenian Advisory Council, inaugurated on September 16, 2025, at the Haik and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral in New York City. The launch event, titled “From Ararat to the World,” brought together church leaders, ecumenical representatives, and members of the Armenian-American community for an evening of fellowship, cultural celebration, and shared commitment to justice and peace.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) has launched Let Children Live, a growing international campaign calling Christians to pray for and protect Palestinian children. Partnering with denominations, congregations, and faith-based organizations, the campaign invites churches to lift up Palestinian children by name, affirming their God-given dignity and right to live, dream, and thrive. Already embraced by over 200 churches and organizations, Let Children Live unites believers across traditions in a shared cry for compassion and justice.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joins more than 200 humanitarian organizations in calling for the immediate end to Israel’s deadly, military-controlled aid distribution scheme in Gaza and the restoration of a unified, UN-led humanitarian coordination mechanism. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, now responsible for food delivery, has replaced 400 community-based distribution points with only four militarized sites, turning the desperate pursuit of food into a death sentence. Since the scheme’s implementation, over 500 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 4,000 injured while simply trying to survive.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), alongside dozens of international aid and development agencies, released its latest Humanitarian Access Snapshot, covering the period from March 26 to May 28, 2025.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), alongside dozens of international aid and development agencies, released its latest Humanitarian Access Snapshot, covering the period from January 19 to April 15, 2025. The report offers a sobering update on the continued restrictions on humanitarian assistance in Gaza and the West Bank amidst ongoing conflict and military operations.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) executive director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, led a small interfaith delegation of Christian and Muslim leaders to Jordan between April 9-10, 2025. His Excellency Bishop Mpumlwana Malusi, the former General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches (SACC), and Imam Dr. Yahya Hendi, Director of Muslim Life at Georgetown University, joined Rev. Dr. Cannon as they met with high-level political and religious leaders to discuss the most recent events in the region with an emphasis on what can be done to end the war on Gaza. In addition to meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Safadi and other leaders, the delegation was honored to participate in a gathering with the Nobel Women’s Initiative hosted by His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal.

Churches for Middle East Peace’s (CMEP) executive director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, led a small interfaith delegation of Christian and Islamic leaders to Egypt between April 5-8, 2025. Meetings in Egypt included conversations with religious and political leaders for the purpose of discussing the role international religious leaders can play in calling for an end to all violence, especially the devastating toll of ongoing bombing and military incursions by the Israeli military in Gaza and the West Bank.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) stands in solidarity with the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem and their defense of the Armenian Patriarchate. The Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem faces a foreclosure order posing a significant threat to their ongoing sustainability. As the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches note, “This action undermines the freedom of religion, which is the foundation of all other rights, since through a confiscation of assets, attempts to the right of existence of the Orthodox Armenian Church, depriving it of the necessary economic resources to live and operate and depriving the local Armenian people of the pastoral care of their Church.” The threat against the Armenian Patriarchate reflects a broader challenge facing the Christian community in Jerusalem relating to taxation issues. CMEP remains committed to advocate for the continued sustainability of the churches in Jerusalem whose presence and ministry provide vital services to the greater community.   Press Release February 20th, 2025

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and other Humanitarian organizations express a profound concern over the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, as highlighted in the recently released Humanitarian Access Snapshot #8. CMEP urges the international community to act decisively to alleviate the suffering of Gaza’s people and uphold the principles of human dignity and justice.

This Advent season, as Christians worldwide prepare to celebrate the Prince of Peace, a groundbreaking global campaign, Advent Not Arms, is calling for an end to violence in Gaza and the broader Middle East. Organized as a collaboration between Embrace the Middle East (UK) and Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) in the United States, this campaign unites Christian leaders from more than 40 countries in a powerful plea for peace and the suspension of arms sales to Israel. In a powerful letter, more than 200 global Christian bishops and executive leaders are calling on world governments to take decisive action to end the ongoing violence in Gaza and the Middle East. The signatories demand an immediate ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian aid, and the suspension of arms sales to Israel, emphasizing the urgent need for justice and peace during the Advent season.

As Christians around the world prepare to celebrate the arrival of the Prince of Peace, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) affirms the call of the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem to commemorate the Advent and Christmas seasons with visible signs of Christian hope while being sensitive to the ongoing suffering of millions in the region by upholding them in our prayers and encouraging acts of kindness and charity. During this Christmas season and beyond, CMEP remains committed to lifting up the people of the Holy Land in our prayers and working tirelessly for peace and justice in this sacred and troubled region.

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.

Humanitarian aid entering Gaza has fallen to an all-time low. CMEP, along with dozens of other humanitarian organizations, outlines the dire conditions found in Gaza in this Humanitarian Snapshot. These include the direct targeting of aid workers and aid distribution points. Furthermore, tens of thousands of civilians are still trapped in Northern Gaza, which Israel has stated is a combat zone and will not allow aid to enter the region.

A year into the devastating war on Gaza the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to worsen. Medical supplies, hygiene kits, building supplies, fuel, and more continue to be in rare supply as Israel impedes aid deliveries. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and leading humanitarian agencies outline the delay of aid distribution, safety concerns, forced displacement orders, and logistical constraints in this latest Humanitarian Snapshot.

CMEP joins other leading humanitarian groups in calling on all UN Member States to take urgent steps to protect people deprived of their liberty across the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel. This includes demanding that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is granted immediate and unfettered access to all detainees and hostages, to the full extent required by international humanitarian law. Full access must also be granted for independent human rights monitors, legal counsel, and family members.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and leading humanitarian agencies outline the death toll of the recent Israeli military operations including the largest and longest incursion into the West Bank in two decades as well as the September 10th strike on the designated “humanitarian” zone in Al-Mawasi which so far has killed 40 people.

RAMALLAH, 20 August 2024 – Aid agencies and medical professionals have joined forces to call urgently for a ceasefire to allow life-saving polio vaccinations to be administered to about 640,000 children aged under 10 following confirmation of the first case of polio in Gaza in 25 years, with reports of other suspected cases emerging. At least 50,000 children born during the past 10 months of hostilities are highly unlikely to have received any immunizations due to the collapsed health system, while older children among the one million children in Gaza will have had their regular vaccine schedules disrupted or halted by violence and displacement.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and leading humanitarian agencies outline how new ‘evacuation orders’ and relentless airstrikes have forced the displacement of over 200,000 Palestinians since mid-July, many of whom had already been displaced multiple times. Israel’s ongoing blockade has only tightened, leaving aid convoys stranded and essential supplies inaccessible to the millions in need.

Intensified Israeli airstrikes in areas of Gaza where aid organizations are providing services, including Israeli-designated “humanitarian zones” have resulted in mass civilian deaths and further shrinking space to deliver life-saving assistance, warn 20 international aid and advocacy agencies including Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP).

Prior to Netanayhu’s Congressional Speech, 200+ Global Bishops and Christian Leaders Call World Leaders to Institute a Permanent Gaza Ceasefire, Halt of Arms Sales to Israel, and Prevent Broader Regional War.

The Episcopal Church is one of the founding members of CMEP’s 30-plus member communions committed to pursuing an end to the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. As the war on Gaza continues, we must not ignore the ongoing pressures Palestinians continue to face in other parts of the occupied Palestinian territories. CMEP stands with The Episcopal Church in advocating for the release of Layan Nasir, the Palestinian Christian woman who continues to be held unjustly in Israeli prison. We also call for an immediate end to the war on Gaza and for an immediate and sustained ceasefire, full humanitarian access, and the release of all hostages.

Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, the executive director of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), will host a briefing and community conversation in Delaware on Christian responses to current events in Gaza and broader Israel/Palestine. The briefing will follow morning worship and is open to the Westminster community and the general public.

In a new letter published today, more than 200 Catholic leaders and 130 Catholic organizations and congregations from across the United States have expressed their anguish over the ongoing violence in Israel-Palestine. The letters’ signers include Cardinal Robert McElroy, bishop of San Diego; Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe; theologian Sr. Elizabeth Johnson, CSJ, Fordham University; Br. Lawrence Hayes, Provincial Minister, Franciscan Friars; hundreds of women religious and ordained clergy; and many notable Catholic academics, activists, and lay leaders.

CMEP to hold prayer vigil at the U.S. Capitol led by national Christian leaders calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, halting of additional military arms to Israel, and an end to all killings. The speakers are in agreement calling for a bilateral ceasefire, immediate and adequate humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and the release of all hostages. This vigil is the closing ceremony for the Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) 40th Anniversary Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C. All are welcome.

In a new letter released during Holy Week ahead of Easter, more than 140 Bishops and executive leaders from churches, denominations, and church-based organizations in the US and around the world call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, urge the US and other world powers to halt additional arms sales to Israel, and make clear that Israel, the US, and all countries must abide by Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

This Saturday, March 23, ahead of the start of Holy Week, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) will lead a multi-denominational group of Christians on a 22-mile prayer pilgrimage around Washington, D.C. in solidarity with the people of Gaza. The all-day event will culminate in a rally with Christian leaders in Lafayette Square at 5

As part of a Lenten Ceasefire Campaign, on Thursday, March 21, 1-2 pm, Christians for Ceasefire will hold a prayer vigil with national faith leaders, including three Palestinian Christian voices, on Capitol Hill (100 Maryland Avenue NE), followed by a nonviolent witness action. For Christians, nonviolent witness includes calling for a just peace, especially as our Muslim family members enter their holy month of Ramadan.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon joined 22 church-based denominational leaders in a letter to President Biden. Several signatories of the letter were in Washington, DC where they delivered the letter during meetings with staff at the State Department Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and with Ambassador Rashad Hussain, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom.

On Wednesday, February 14 at 11:00 AM in Lafayette Park by the White House, national Christian organizations and peacemakers will launch a weekly Lenten Ceasefire Campaign, starting with a Catholic Mass to be followed by an ecumenical public witness, to call attention to and in mourning for the tens of thousands of lives that have been destroyed in Gaza and Israel since October 7, 2023.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) executive leaders returned to the United States this week after completing extensive visits with Patriarchs and Heads of Churches, pastors and local Christians, political leaders and heads of state, peace activists and human rights leaders in Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories, Jordan, and Lebanon. CMEP leaders advocated for an end to all violence and called for a comprehensive ceasefire, highlighting the massive number of deaths and demanding an end to the bombing and ground invasion and its effects on civilians in Gaza. CMEP also advocated for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas and other militant groups and the release of Palestinian prisoners. In addition, CMEP demanded immediate and adequate humanitarian access be granted to Gaza so that basic needs like water, food, electricity, and health care be provided and not utilized as leverage for political aims.

With many mobilizing in Washington D.C. for the March for Gaza, this Christian-led prayer vigil will be held as part of the Global Day of Action for Ceasefire in Gaza. Leaders, including some who have recently returned from Israel/Palestine, will offer prayers for a comprehensive ceasefire and demilitarization in Israel and Palestine. This event is held in solidarity with the calls in the November 9, 2023 letter from thirty American Christian leaders calling on President Biden and his Administration to support an immediate ceasefire, de-escalation, and restraint by all involved.

We hope and pray that the ongoing violence between Hamas and Israel will come to an end before this event on December 11, 2023. This Christian service is being held in solidarity with Palestinian Christians in Bethlehem and throughout the Middle East who are calling for a ceasefire and an end to all violence. Christians throughout the Middle East have canceled Christmas celebrations to stand in solidarity with their neighbors suffering in Gaza.

Three Palestinian Christians from Jerusalem and Bethlehem came to D.C. this week. One of their key purposes was to hand deliver a letter signed by several Palestinian Christian pastoral leaders from across denominations from the West Bank city of Bethlehem addressed to President Joseph Biden.

We welcome the recent announcement about the release of 50 hostages and a parallel prisoner exchange, in addition to the desperately needed few days cessation of violence. Now is the time to redouble our efforts to insist that a long-standing bilateral ceasefire comes to fruition. The civilian population in Gaza continues to suffer from a desperate need of basic life saving supplies such as water, food, gas, and medical aid. President Biden not only has the responsibility as a world leader, but a moral obligation, to save as many human lives as possible and the only way to do that is to end all violence between Hamas and Israel through a permanent ceasefire. – Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, executive director, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)

Updated Press Release from our November 16th release which further outlines all participating.

A candlelight prayer vigil led by national Christian leaders calling for a ceasefire and an end to all violence between Israel and Hamas. The speakers and sponsoring organizations are in agreement calling for a bilateral ceasefire, immediate and adequate humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and the release of hostages. All are welcome.

As casualties mount in Israel-Palestine and the U.S. Congress considers a $14 billion request for additional weapons for Israel, at least one U.S. official has resigned and leading human rights organizations are calling for a halt to arms transfers into the conflict, at times focused on specific weapons systems. Faith groups are also pressing for a change in the U.S. approach. This press briefing is meant to give interested media an update on findings on how weapons are being used in the conflict and the reasons behind these calls. We anticipate that some groups may have new data to share during this briefing. This briefing is for media only. Read a summary of the press briefing here.

Following a recent trip by our executive director to Israel/Palestine, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is more concerned than ever about the rapid erosion of democratic values in Israel and increased violence in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) grieves the news of the passing of Gerry Lee and stands alongside our member organization friends at Maryknoll as they respond to the loss of their friend.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) grieves the news of the passing of Dr. Sider and stands alongside our member organization Christians for Social Action (CSA) as they respond to the loss of their founder and friend.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is pleased to announce the addition of Community of Christ (CoC) as CMEP’s newest member communion.

CMEP’s Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, joins fifteen global religious leaders in an emergency just peace mission to pray and stand in solidarity in Kyiv, Ukraine.

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.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomes Brian Evans as the Mobilization Manager.

Hosted by Churches for Middle East Peace’s (CMEP) Catholic Advisory Council (CAC), the lecture series promotes education and advocacy among American Catholics and other Christians about realities in the Holy Land while promoting U.S. policies that contribute toward the need for a just and lasting peace.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) received the news on April 6, 2022, that Jesuit priest and CMEP Leadership Council member, Father Drew Christiansen, S.J., passed away as a result of heart complications. We are deeply grieved by this news.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomes several new staff including: Jennifer Maidrand as the Outreach Manager, Rev. Aune M. Carlson as the Director of Operations, and Michael Robinson as the Financial Manager.

CMEP is pleased to announce that it has been granted special consultative status as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN). Special consultative status allows for an NGO to engage with the ECOSOC, the Human Rights Council, and, at times, the General Assembly and the United Nations Secretariat. As an NGO with special consultative status, CMEP will have the privilege of designating official representatives to the UN Headquarters in New York and UN Offices at Geneva and Vienna, as well as offering expert information, advice, and statements to the Council on topics related to faith, justice, and peace in the Middle East.

Seeking to respond to changing landscapes in the events and media space, CMEP is pleased to announce Nicole Morgan and Katie McRoberts’ transition to new positions within the organization. As the new Director of Programs and Events, Nicole Morgan will be responsible for CMEP’s programmatic operations. Katie McRoberts will transition to Director of Communications and Operations.

CMEP welcomed Ravenel Khashram as the Manager of Middle East Partnerships in late November 2020. As Manager of Middle East Partnerships, Ravenel will focus on helping to establish and cultivate relationships with CMEP partners on the ground.

CMEP is pleased to announce the addition of Lott Carey Foreign Missionary Society (Lott Carey) to CMEP’s member communion board.

CMEP affirms the recent petition to the United Nations by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America which seeks to “hold the Republic of Turkey accountable for its deliberate policies to erase the cultural heritage of Orthodox Christians.”

CMEP is pleased to announce the promotion of Kyle Cristofalo as our new head of D.C. office and Senior Director of Advocacy and Government Relations and special advisor to the executive director. Kyle has been with CMEP for three years, previously serving as the Director of Advocacy and Government Relations.

In a special consultation hosted by Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and Bright Stars of Bethlehem, convened in cooperation with the National Council of Churches (NCC), World Council of Churches (WCC), and the Diyar Consortium, and building on previous engagement, US and Palestinian Christians addressed the current context in Israel/Palestine, the US-sponsored economic workshop in Bahrain, and the elements necessary to reach a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) believes a political solution that grants the Palestinian people their full freedom and right to self-determination is a necessary prerequisite to economic prosperity. Even the most thorough and well-planned economic development proposals will ultimately fail if this most basic condition is not met. Read More

The House of Representatives voted on Thursday, April 4, 2019, to ​pass​ a joint resolution directing the President to remove all U.S. armed forces from supporting the Saudi-led coalition’s war effort in Yemen. CMEP praises this bipartisan vote as a promising step toward addressing ​the world’s worst humanitarian crisis​ that has left 80 percent of Yemen’s 28 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Read More

Delaware Churches for Middle East Peace (DCMEP) is in solidarity with the Muslim community of Delaware in this time of horror and grief brought about by the terror attack on the mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Our prayers are indeed offered for those murdered in Christchurch as well as their families and community. We grieve for them, and we grieve that once again hate and bigotry have been served by an awful act of terror. Read More

Once again, we are reminded of the terrible consequences of hate and prejudice. This time by the deadly attack upon the worshippers at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. As this is being written, it is reported that 11 people have been murdered and a number wounded, including police officers. We at CMEP join with others in assuring our Jewish sisters and brothers of our solidarity with them, and our condemnation of those who exercise their hate by seeking to diminish others, even unto death. Read More

Today the U.S. Secretary of State announced the merging of the U.S. consulate with the U.S. Embassy that is now in Jerusalem. Secretary Pompeo, in his statement remarked, “…we plan to achieve significant efficiencies and increase our effectiveness by merging U.S. Embassy Jerusalem and U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem into a single diplomatic mission.” Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) applauds Sens. Chris Van Hollen (MD), Dianne Feinstein (CA), and Chris Coons (DE) for their letter calling the Trump Administration to reverse its decision to cut $200 million in USAID funded programs in the West Bank and Gaza and a complete end to U.S. funds for UNRWA. Signed by 34 Democratic senators, the letter makes clear the devastating impact these funding cuts will have on the most vulnerable Palestinians, including those who rely on the congressionally appropriated funds to receive emergency food assistance, medical services, education and access to clean water. CMEP believes the withholding of such funding will only exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and lead to further destabilization in the West Bank and the region as a whole. Read More

The U.S. Department of State’s 2017 annual human rights report released on Friday, April 20, significantly reduced references to the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Golan Heights as the occupied territories. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) objects to this notable change in State Department language and sees the omission of the identification of Occupied Territories in the title of the report as deeply problematic. CMEP calls upon the State Department to consider all reports of human rights violations in the West Bank, Gaza, and Golan Heights within the context of Israel’s ongoing military occupation, as they have done under all previous administrations since 1979. Read More

In response to the continued threats against the Status Quo and sustainability of the Christian community in Jerusalem and the Holy Land, eighteen religious leaders sent a letter to President Trump calling upon his administration to uphold the Status Quo and to protect the vulnerable Christian communities in the Holy Land. Read More

The Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) use of live fire to suppress unarmed civilian demonstrators along the Gaza border on Friday, March 30 and over the weekend, constitutes unwarranted and excessive use of military force condemnable under international law. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) denounces the violence, which resulted in 18 fatalities and more than 1,400 casualties, at least 750 of which were from live fire. We fully affirm the right of the Palestinian people to engage in nonviolent resistance. Read More

The Knesset’s vote on Wednesday, March 7, to strip Palestinians in East Jerusalem of their permanent residency status for “breaching loyalty to the State of Israel” imposes undue restrictions on Palestinian political freedoms and threatens to accelerate the displacement of the Palestinian community from Jerusalem. CMEP opposes any legislation which would limit the ability of Palestinians to engage in nonviolent resistance and condemns any actions that would undermine a Jerusalem shared by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. Read More

CMEP and our member Board denominations thank Ambassador Sam Brownback, Office for International Religious Freedom (IRF), for the opportunity to meet last Wednesday, March 7, 2018. CMEP presented our concerns about the tax and land confiscation issues under consideration by the Jerusalem municipality and in the Israeli legislature, respectively. The threats to the Status Quo in Jerusalem ultimately led to the closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in February. CMEP also expressed concerns about President Trump’s intent to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. Read More

Shortly following Churches for Middle East Peace’s (CMEP) February 27, 2018 Press Release, “The Future of the Christian Church in the Holy Land in Peril,” the Israeli Government announced it had reached an agreement to temporarily postpone the planned collection of taxes on church properties not used as houses of worship; and to suspend consideration of a controversial Knesset bill dealing with leases and the sale of church lands. While CMEP is grateful for the progress allowing the heads of Churches in charge of the Holy Sepulchre to reopen so that pilgrims have access to one of Christianity’s holiest sites, we remain gravely concerned. We support and affirm the words of these church leaders and join them in offering our gratitude to all those who have worked tirelessly to uphold the Christian presence in Jerusalem and to defend the Status Quo. Read More  

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) calls upon President Trump and his administration to immediately intervene with the appropriate Israeli authorities to ensure the Jerusalem municipality reverses its decision regarding the collection of illegitimate taxes and to ensure that the “Bill of Church Lands” legislation is permanently withdrawn. Without such action, the Christian community in Jerusalem might soon suffer irreparable damage and eventually cease to exist. These actions of the Israeli government are an existential threat to the future of the Christian church in the Holy Land. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) strongly opposes the Trump Administration’s recent decision to withhold UNRWA funding in that it increases the hardship of the Palestinian people and further hinders the ability to reach a comprehensive peace solution. CMEP stands in support of the Welch-Price letter, and supports the United States’ commitment to security in Israel as well as the safety and dignity of both Israelis and Palestinians. We strongly urge President Trump to heed the advice of the Welch-Price letter and fully reinstate U.S. aid to UNRWA. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) firmly opposes the withdrawal of U.S. humanitarian support from the Palestinians, and strongly urges the PLO and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to maintain their recognition of Israel. … Undermining humanitarian aid, unilateral decisions on Jerusalem, and suspending the recognition of Israel will create new fissures in already cracked relationships, moving peace further out of reach and leaving another generation of Israelis and Palestinians to grow up under a perpetual threat of violence and war. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace strongly opposes any unilateral recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move of the U.S. Embassy without a comprehensive peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians. CMEP Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon said, “Rather than being a broker for peace, the U.S. will be undermining trust and making the resumption of meaningful negotiations and achieving a viable solution all the more difficult, if not impossible.” Read More

Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon said, “CMEP cares deeply about the wellbeing of Palestinian, Israeli, and all children around the world. Neither I nor the organization I represent condone acts of violence. We expect children to be treated with human dignity regardless of their guilt or innocence.” Read More

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the historic declaration by Lord Balfour of Great Britain that “[viewed] with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.” The Balfour Declaration also stated “that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine.” Read More

From October 16 to 22 Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) hosted Daoud Nassar for a series of talks about daily life in the West Bank, human rights concerns, and peacebuilding as part of CMEP’s fall Pilgrimage to Peace tour. Over six days, CMEP’s Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon hosted these conversations with Christian communities at nine events in four cities including: Washington, D.C.; Seattle, WA; Cary, NC; and Wilmington, NC. Read More

Palestinian human rights activist Issa Amro was detained Monday, September 4, 2017, by the security forces of the Palestinian Authority (PA). Amro, of the West Bank town of Hebron, had publicly voiced criticism of the PA for having detained Ayman Qawasmeh. Qawasmeh, a Palestinian journalist, had criticized the Authority and called for PA leader Mahmoud Abbas to resign. In two Facebook posts from Sunday, September 3, Amro expressed support for Qawasmeh and condemned his detention. … Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) calls on the Palestinian Authority for the Immediate Release of Peace Activist Issa Amro. We applaud the nine members of Congress who have also called on the PA for Amro’s immediate release. Read More

At least three Palestinians have been killed and more than 300 injured in violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Three Israelis were stabbed to death with at least two more seriously injured in the West Bank settlement of Halamish. Today’s violence follows a week of escalations that started Friday, July 14 after two Israeli police officers were shot and killed by three Palestinian citizens of Israel outside the entrance to what is known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is deeply grieved by the deaths of these Palestinians and Israelis. We condemn all acts of violence and call for a return to the status quo. Read More

Churches for Middle East Peace (cmep.org) hosted “50 Years Too Long,” an advocacy event marking 50 years since the Six Day War and the beginning of Israel’s military occupation of Palestinian territories. The event took place June 4-6, 2017 in Washington, D.C. Participants heard from various speakers on the conflict and ended the event by meeting with their congressional offices. As part of that event an ecumenical letter, signed by the leaders of twenty different Christian denominations and organizations, was sent to President Trump asking him to work for peace and an end to the occupation. Read More

Earlier this week there was a chemical weapons attack against the Syrian people. In response to this attack the U.S. launched cruise missiles at a Syrian military airfield on Thursday night, April 6, 2017. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is deeply grieved by the deaths of all Syrians in both of these attacks. We respect the human rights of all people in the region, including refugees and displaced people, based on full observance of the Geneva Conventions and other international law agreements. Read More