As a direct result of policy decisions and acts of war by the current US administration, two Yearly Meeting sessions of the Religious Society of Friends have been indefinitely cancelled as a direct affront to freedom of religious expression. Cuba Yearly Meeting planned to meet in February, and Middle East Yearly Meeting planned to meet in April, and both bodies report no ability to reschedule at this time. Yearly Meeting sessions serve as a crucial annual opportunity to conduct the business of Friends on regional, national, or even international levels and require significant coordination, financial planning, and prayerful discernment beginning months before events actually take place.
Jorge Luis Pena, Clerk of Cuba Yearly Meeting, shares that despite decades of embargo against the island, Friends in Cuba have, through local resilience and international support, been able to continue their work. They have rebuilt churches in need of repair, installed water filtration systems to provide clean drinking water for communities facing shortages, and supported pastors and congregations. On January 29th, however, the U.S. administration declared a “state of emergency” and doubled down on economic and political sanctions against Cuba while threatening military intervention. Prices immediately rose to two to three times the average worker’s monthly salary for a single gallon of gasoline. Food shortages, lack of basic supplies like printed materials, and even lack of predictable electricity all make both in-person and online gatherings almost impossible. He shares “the situation in Cuba requires that the church consider its priorities in a different way, like survival. The fact is that Friends need basic necessities like food.”
Friends in Lebanon and Palestine were forced to cancel Middle East YM due to the escalation of the war – around fifty people had registered from all over the world, including Australia, Britain, Ireland, Palestine, Lebanon, and the USA.
Rania Maayeh, Head of Ramallah Friends School, and Ramallah Friend told us that due to concerns about falling debris, the school moved to remote learning when the war started. She recently said that ‘at the moment, the school campus is largely closed, with the exception of Grade 11 and 12 students who attend in person due to taking exams. A small piece of missile debris fell on the school grounds and was found on the basketball playground. Fortunately, no one was present at the time it fell. Despite its small size, it was quite heavy and could have caused serious harm. In Ramallah explosions are regularly heard and the war has further exacerbated the already difficult situation there; roads have been blocked and checkpoints closed for several days, making movement very challenging. Settler attacks also continue, and the overall situation remains tense.’
Sabah Baz, a Friend from Brummana Friends Meeting, described the effect of the current war on life in Lebanon, where Israeli planes and drones are attacking and bombing targets in Beirut. He told us that ‘The current war between Israel and Hezbollah is having a devastating impact on Lebanon. Since the war restarted on March 2nd, 2026, over 700 people have been killed, including 91 children,1586 injured, and more than 800,000 have been displaced, with many seeking shelter in collective centers or fleeing to other parts of the country. Shelters are struggling to cope with the numbers and there is growing concern about the spread of infectious diseases. Brummana, where Friends in Lebanon live, has been relatively safe but the bombing of Beirut is only 15 miles away; the people of Brummana are helping people who have fled Beirut with their limited resources.’
David Gray, principal of Brummana High School, and the school staff have tried to keep the school open, only closing it when it became impossible for students to physically reach the school.
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