CMEP holds prayer vigil before Israel’s prime minister addresses Congress

Churches for Middle East Peace prays for immediate end to violence in Gaza

by Scott O’Neill | Presbyterian News Service

Churches for Middle East Peace, of which the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is a denomination member, held a rally for peace in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu’s address before Congress. (Contributed photo)

LOUISVILLE — Amidst the background of a “Ceasefire Now” sign and attendees holding signs with the same message, Christian groups gathered in front of the United Methodist building in Washington D.C., Wednesday morning just hours before Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was scheduled to address Congress. The Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), of which the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is a denomination member, sponsored and organized the prayer vigil, which featured several notable Christian and Muslim leaders, including the Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, director of advocacy for the PC(USA)’s Office of Public Witness.

Those gathered prayed for an end to violence and military action in Gaza. The interfaith group of leaders called for five key action items to help end the atrocities witnessed to date in Gaza, and offer a call to human rights for everyone residing in the Holy Land:

• A permanent ceasefire
• Demilitarization
• Humanitarian assistance into Gaza
• The release of Israeli hostages and Palestinians held without cause
• Address the underlying conditions of the occupation.

The Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, executive director of CMEP, opposed the invitation for Netanyahu to speak before Congress, a theme that was echoed by many of the day’s speakers. She implored the Biden administration to no longer provide monetary and diplomatic cover to allow Israel to continue its military operations in Gaza.

“The lack of strong U.S. leadership has directly resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent civilians and has weakened the U.S. in the region, contributed to regional instability and increased the likelihood of a broader middle east war,” said Cannon. “The Biden administration must use its leverage to end all violence, to push for an end to Israeli military abuses in Gaza and ensure the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners held without due process and demand progress towards a permanent negotiated settlement.”

Delia Ramirez, a congresswoman from Illinois’ third congressional district and vice ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security, noted she was one of five original members who led a ceasefire resolution despite pushback from many Congressional colleagues.

“If calling for peace is wrong, then let me be a peacemaker doing wrong every day,” implored Ramirez. “Today, over 65 of my colleagues have one way or another called for a ceasefire. President Biden and Vice-President Harris are talking about a ceasefire. (If not for) the work that many of you have been doing the last few months, we wouldn’t be here talking about a permanent ceasefire.”

Speaker after speaker called for an immediate peace in Gaza. (Contributed photo)

Joyce Ajlouny, general secretary of the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker-affiliated organization that works on global peace, migration and human rights, and economic justice issues, noted that since last October’s attack by Hamas the world has witnessed a scarcity of moral leadership — and today was a stark reminder.

“What does Congress do?” she asked, referring to Netanyahu’s appearance later in the day. “They welcome him with open arms, hand him a microphone and invite him to luncheons and shake his hand. Giving him a platform is an act that compromises our nation’s moral compass. Instead, Congress should leverage its power and impose an arms embargo and demand a permanent ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access.”

Several other speakers spoke in the same vein, including an ex-Israeli soldier who fought in Gaza in 2008 with a special forces unit. He lamented that the violence in the West Bank is “not my Judaism” and that the majority of the Israeli public calls for a ceasefire.

Other speakers included Sister Linda Sarsour, a Palestinian American activist and the Rev. Adriene Thorne, pastor at the Riverside Church in New York City, who led participants in a prayer for peace in the Middle East.

According to a press release distributed by CMEP, the Rev. Michael Neuroth, Director of the United Church of Christ Office of Public Policy & Advocacy, said in part, “We call for a ceasefire, for increased humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and for the release of prisoners and hostages. The suffering must end. As a nation, we must not be complicit in the mass killing that has resulted in nearly 40,000 dead. We support the withholding of arms to Israel and demand a return to the diplomatic table. As Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu addresses our Congress, we implore him and all policymakers to hear our fervent prayers calling for love, compassion, and a Just Peace.”

The Rev. Jimmie Hawkins (Photo by Rich Copley)

Hawkins echoed the call for resumption of humanitarian assistance and lamented the children who have suffered from the crisis.

“The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has for many years advocated for a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We watch in horror as the current war in Gaza spirals out of control and is heartbreaking in its ferocity. Twenty thousand Palestinian children are missing, and thousands are presumed dead beneath the rubble. Israel’s horrific bombing of schools, hospitals, and safe zones, the withholding of humanitarian assistance from a civilian population facing famine, and the United States military support for these human rights violations in Gaza must end.”

Hawkins also led the gathering in a closing prayer:

God the merciful, God of justice, on this day, above all others, we pray for peace in the Holy land. We pray for a lasting, just and permanent ceasefire and that the unspeakable horror of war devastating the Palestinian people be brought to an immediate end.

We pray for the Palestinian people where children, the elderly, and people who were already suffering immensely find their very existence being at risk.

We pray for justice, that political leaders who claim that others are terrorists yet are war criminals will face your justice.

We pray that our nation, the United States of America, will stop the arming of Israel.

That America will lead the way in demonstrating the way of peace rather than the arming of the powerful against the vulnerable.

May we cease to magnify the wrongs of others while refusing to accept the role we play in the breakdown of relations that result in violence, neglect, and disarray.

Make us uneasy and give power to our voices crying out against injustice and for the ways that make for the peace of God that goes beyond all human understanding.

In the name of the Holy One, Amen!

Several other speakers spoke in the same vein, including Nadav Weimer from Breaking the Silence, an organization of veteran soldiers who have served in the Israeli military. Weimar  fought in Gaza in 2008 with a special forces unit. He lamented that the violence in the West Bank is “not my Judaism” and that the majority of the Israeli public calls for a ceasefire.

The event was live-streamed and is available for viewing on CMEP’s YouTube channel. To view CMEP’s press release for the event, click here.

To view a comprehensive list of multi-media resources, advocacy opportunities, and partner voices in the Israel-Palestine region, visit the PC(USA) Israel-Palestine resource page.