The Church of England’s governing body voted last week to formally hear a document titled “Kairos Palestine II (A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide),” which was co-written by Palestinian Anglican priest Father Fadi Diab and other Palestinian Christian leaders. The report characterizes Israel’s military actions and occupation using terminology including genocide, apartheid, and settler colonialism, and calls for an urgent global Christian response to the conflict in Gaza and the West Bank.
The motion initially proposed that the synod “receive” the report but was amended during debate to instead “receive and hear” it. Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally stated that hearing Palestinian Christians’ testimonies did not constitute endorsement of every element of the report, emphasizing that the church would listen with compassion while standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing injustices.
Jewish organizational leaders, including the Board of Deputies of British Jews and Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, raised objections prior to the vote. They argued the document extended beyond criticism of Israeli government military policy to question Zionism and Jewish historical connections to the land, contending that certain language echoed antisemitic tropes. Rabbi Charley Baginsky of Progressive Judaism acknowledged the church’s responsibility to address Palestinian Christian experiences while expressing concern that the report’s language would obstruct rather than facilitate dialogue.
Interfaith dialogue representatives noted the complexity of balancing support for Palestinian Christian voices with concerns about the document’s framing. Officials from the Council of Christians and Jews welcomed the amendment changing “receive” to “hear,” viewing it as a more measured approach that preserved space for ongoing conversation. Richard Sewell, a church official serving as a liaison to Anglican communities in Palestine and Israel, characterized the report as a plea for assistance from suffering Christian communities in the region and argued the wider church bore responsibility for directly engaging with their concerns.
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