Church of England Vote on Palestinian Document Sparks Concerns of Rising Anti-Semitism

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, July 19, 2026

The Church of England's General Synod voted to "hear" but not formally endorse the Palestinian Christian document Kairos II, which controversially condemns Israel and calls for boycotting Zionist voices. This decision has raised alarm among Jewish leaders and local officials like Bishop Philip North, who warn it may exacerbate anti-Semitic tensions and strain community relations in areas with both Jewish and Muslim populations.

The Church of England’s recent debate over a controversial Palestinian Christian document has sparked concerns about increasing anti-Semitism within the UK, particularly among local communities in Lancashire. The document, known as Kairos II, describes Israel as a “colonial enterprise” engaged in a “genocidal war on Gaza” and calls for boycott of “Zionist voices,” language that has alarmed Jewish leaders and some members of the Church.

The General Synod in York considered a motion that included a call for the Church to express solidarity with Palestinian Christians using Kairos II as a reference point. While the Synod ultimately voted to “hear” the document rather than formally “receive” it—a distinction that means members listened without necessarily endorsing its contents—critics argue the nuances of this technical difference will be lost outside the Synod chamber.

Bishop Philip North, the Rt Rev and Bishop of Blackburn, voiced serious concerns about the vote’s impact on community relations in his diocese, where both a significant Muslim population and a small Jewish community live side by side. He warned that many Jewish residents feel “close to no longer feeling welcome in the UK,” a situation he attributes partly to the divisive nature of the Church’s engagement with Kairos II. He described the local atmosphere as fraught, with Palestinian solidarity intensifying after the outbreak of renewed conflict following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Bishop North emphasized that while there is widespread anger over the violence in Gaza and Israeli military actions, the Church should strive to build bridges rather than appear to take sides. He expressed empathy for Palestinian Christians, who number roughly 50,000 in the West Bank and Jerusalem and are a much smaller community in Gaza, but he sought a more balanced approach that would not deepen fears within the Jewish population.

The document’s rhetorical framing drew particular criticism from prominent Jewish figures, including Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis and the Board of Deputies of British Jews. They cautioned that Kairos II’s characterization of Israel’s founding as inseparable from genocide and racism, alongside its call to boycott Zionist voices, risks undermining decades of interfaith relationship-building. Sir Ephraim described the language as “extreme rhetoric” that challenges the legitimacy of the Jewish state.

Bishop North noted that several Synod members had deemed Kairos II anti-Semitic by the Church’s own adopted definitions, and he expressed frustration that the motion could hinder efforts to foster dialogue among differing perspectives on the Middle East within local communities. Although he does not believe the Synod vote would directly incite violence, he warned it could contribute to a broader rise in anti-Semitic sentiment amid a complex and volatile social environment.

The Church of England’s engagement with the Middle East conflict has a layered history, including an official apology issued in 2019 for medieval anti-Jewish laws. Bishop North suggested that the current motion, through its explicit association with Kairos II, risks undermining that progress and deepening divisions at a time when cohesive community relations are especially fragile.

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