CMEP Expresses Deep Concern Over Escalating Israeli Military Operations in the West Bank

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is deeply alarmed by the ongoing Israeli military operations in the West Bank, including the recent large-scale offensive, the most extensive since the Second Intifada. According to the United Nations, these operations have displaced over 40,000 Palestinians. Additionally, the destruction of 11 buildings in Masafer Yatta is part of a continued effort to forcibly remove Palestinian communities from their land, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation. CMEP reiterates that the crisis in the West Bank cannot be overshadowed by the devastation in Gaza. Continued military operations and the systematic confiscation of Palestinian land not only violate international law but also perpetuate a cycle of violence that will not bring peace to either Palestinians or Israelis.

The international community, and the United States in particular, must take urgent action to halt the forced displacement of Palestinians and the ongoing annexation of Palestinian land. These actions directly undermine the prospect of any viable peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Furthermore, the major security framework and basis for initial peace between Israel and its neighbors that the United States helped broker—especially with Jordan and Egypt—are being undermined by the continued annexation of Palestinian land. Lasting peace can only be achieved through an end to the occupation and security and self determination for both Israelis and Palestinians.