The Church of England’s General Synod voted last week to formally hear Kairos Palestine II, a report drafted by Palestinian Christian leaders that characterizes Israeli actions using terms including genocide, apartheid, and settler colonialism. The motion, which initially sought to “receive” the document before being amended to “hear” it, passed across all three houses of the synod—bishops, clergy, and laity.
Father Fadi Diab, a Palestinian Anglican priest from Ramallah who co-authored the report, described the vote as significant for Palestinian Christians seeking greater recognition of their experiences. Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally acknowledged the moment while clarifying that hearing Palestinian Christian perspectives did not constitute endorsement of every element in the document. She emphasized the church’s commitment to standing in solidarity with Palestinians while listening with compassion to accounts of injustice.
The motion generated substantial concern from Jewish organizations prior to the vote. The Board of Deputies of British Jews urged rejection of the report, while Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis and Progressive Judaism co-chairs warned that the document risked damaging decades of Christian-Jewish dialogue. Jewish leaders contended the report extended beyond criticism of Israeli government policies to question Zionism and core aspects of Jewish history and connection to the land. Rabbi Charley Baginsky expressed concern that the document’s language reinforced antisemitic tropes and foreclosed productive conversation.
Interfaith advocates offered nuanced responses to the outcome. Georgina Bye of the Council of Christians and Jews welcomed the amendment from “receive” to “hear” as a meaningful modification, while cautioning that the document’s language lacked sufficient nuance and discouraged dialogue. She framed the challenge as balancing amplification of Palestinian Christian voices with awareness of broader context in the United Kingdom.
Diab defended the terminology used in the report as reflecting findings from human rights organizations and describing conditions on the ground. He characterized Kairos II as emerging from existential threats facing Palestinian Christians and urged greater awareness of circumstances in occupied Palestinian territories. Church officials including Richard Sewell, a canon in Jerusalem, emphasized the Anglican community’s duty to engage directly with the experiences of suffering Palestinian and Israeli Christians.
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