The Church of England’s General Synod voted to officially receive a report on the conflict in the Middle East, titled Kairos Palestine II, which characterizes Israeli actions using terms including genocide, apartheid, and settler colonialism. The document was co-written by Father Fadi Diab, a Palestinian Anglican priest from Ramallah, and other Christian leaders across denominations. The motion passed with support from all three houses of the synod—bishops, clergy, and laity—last week.
The decision came after Jewish leaders raised concerns about the language in the report. The Board of Deputies of British Jews urged the synod to reject it, arguing it “directly undermines the struggle against antisemitism.” UK Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis and co-chairs of Progressive Judaism similarly warned the report risked harming Christian-Jewish relations. They argued it went beyond criticism of Israeli government policy to question Zionism and Jewish historical connections to the land. During debate, Rabbi Charley Baginsky expressed concern that the document contains “entrenchment of antisemitic tropes” and closes down dialogue rather than opening it.
Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally acknowledged these concerns while explaining that formally hearing Palestinian Christian experiences did not mean endorsing every aspect of the report. She stated the church would “listen with compassion, and stand in solidarity with them amidst the many injustices they face.” The motion was amended during debate from asking the synod to “receive” the document to asking them to “hear” it—a distinction some interfaith representatives welcomed as preserving space for continued dialogue.
Representatives from Christian-Jewish interfaith organizations expressed mixed reactions. Georgina Bye of the Council of Christians and Jews said she understood the document emerged from trauma and distress but voiced concern about the “lack of nuance” in its language. She described the effort as a “balancing act” of uplifting Palestinian Christian voices while remaining aware of the UK context. Richard Sewell, a canon at St George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem, characterized the report as “a cry for help” from Palestinian and Israeli Christians and said the Church of England had a duty to hear their voices. According to Sewell, Palestinian Christian communities had expressed growing frustration over repeated delays in bringing the motion to the synod floor before Mullally became leader of the church.
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