The Church of England’s General Synod voted last week to formally hear a document titled Kairos Palestine II, written by Palestinian Christian leaders across multiple denominations. The report, co-authored by Father Fadi Diab, a prominent Anglican priest from Ramallah, calls for a global Christian response to the war in Gaza and Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, using terminology including genocide, apartheid, and settler colonialism to describe Israeli actions.
During the synod debate, the original motion was amended so members agreed to “hear” rather than “receive” the report. Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally acknowledged concerns raised by Jewish organizations while emphasizing that hearing Palestinian Christian experiences did not constitute endorsement of every element of the document. Mullally stated the church would “listen with compassion, and stand in solidarity with them amidst the many injustices they face.”
Jewish leaders had urged synod to reject the report before the vote, warning that its language risked undermining interfaith relations and straining decades of Christian-Jewish dialogue. The Board of Deputies of British Jews and other Jewish organizations contended the document extended beyond criticism of Israeli government policies to question core aspects of Jewish history and connection to the land. Rabbi Charley Baginsky of Progressive Judaism expressed concern that the report’s language contained antisemitic tropes and closed down constructive conversation.
Interfaith representatives acknowledged the complexity of balancing recognition of Palestinian Christian voices with concerns about the document’s framing. Georgina Bye of the Council of Christians and Jews welcomed the amendment from “receive” to “hear” and noted that understanding the Middle East conflict required exposure to multiple perspectives. Richard Sewell, a church official linking Anglican communities in England and Palestine, described the report as a response to the suffering of Palestinian Christians and characterized the church’s engagement as a moral obligation.
Diab defended the report’s terminology, stating the language reflected findings from human rights organizations and accurately described conditions in Palestinian territories, including settlement expansion and military occupation spanning decades.
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