The Church of England’s General Synod voted last week to hear a document titled Kairos Palestine II, which was co-written by Palestinian Anglican priest Father Fadi Diab and other Christian leaders from various denominations. The report calls for an urgent global Christian response to the war in Gaza and Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, and employs terminology including genocide, apartheid, and settler colonialism to describe Israeli actions.
The motion originally proposed that synod members “receive” the report but was amended during debate so they instead agreed to “hear” it. Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally stated that hearing Palestinian Christians’ experiences meant listening with compassion and standing in solidarity with them, while clarifying that this did not constitute endorsement of every element of the document.
Jewish organizations expressed significant concerns prior to the vote. The Board of Deputies of British Jews urged synod rejection, arguing the report undermines efforts against antisemitism and extends beyond criticizing Israeli government military actions to question Zionism and longstanding Jewish historical connection to the land. Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis and Progressive Judaism co-chairs warned the document risked damaging Christian-Jewish relations. Rabbi Charley Baginsky acknowledged the church must address Palestinian Christian experiences while arguing the report contained entrenchment of antisemitic elements and lacked sufficient nuance for productive dialogue.
Interfaith representatives emphasized the complexity of the situation. Georgina Bye of the Council of Christians and Jews described the effort as a balancing act—uplifting Palestinian Christian voices while remaining aware of the broader UK context. Richard Sewell, a canon in Jerusalem, characterized the report as “a cry for help” from suffering communities and stated the Church of England had a duty to directly engage with Palestinian and Israeli Anglican voices.
Mullally’s recent visit to Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank preceded the synod debate, during which she observed settlements expanding and noted that Palestinian Christian villages faced threats to their continued existence.
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