The Church of England’s General Synod voted to formally hear a report 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 Christian leaders from various denominations. The document characterizes Israeli military operations and occupation using language 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 so members instead agreed to “hear” it. Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally explained that hearing Palestinian Christians’ perspectives meant listening with compassion and showing solidarity with their experiences, while clarifying that this did not constitute an endorsement of every element in the document.
Jewish religious and communal leaders expressed concern before and during the debate. The Board of Deputies of British Jews urged rejection of the report, asserting it undermined efforts against antisemitism. Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis and Progressive Judaism co-chairs warned the language risked damaging Christian-Jewish relations. Jewish leaders argued the document went beyond criticism of Israeli government policy to question Zionism and Jewish historical connection to the land. Rabbi Charley Baginsky acknowledged the importance of hearing Palestinian Christian voices but stated the report was not an appropriate vehicle due to what she characterized as antisemitic language and framing.
Interfaith representatives expressed mixed reactions. Georgina Bye of the Council of Christians and Jews welcomed the amendment from “receive” to “hear” and appreciated efforts to address the issue holistically, though she expressed concern about the document’s language and its effect on dialogue. Richard Sewell, a church official serving as a link between the Church of England and Anglican communities in Palestine, described the report as “a cry for help” and emphasized the church’s obligation to hear voices from the suffering Christian communities in the region. Mullally had recently visited Palestinian Christian congregations in the occupied West Bank, where she observed Israeli settlements expanding and noted concerns about the viability of Palestinian communities.
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