Saeed Abu Mualla

Translated from the original article in Arabic from Al-Quds Al-Arabi

West Bank – London – Al-Quds Al-Arabi: The Executive Committee of the General Council of the United Church in Canada, during its 45th General Council, endorsed the Kairos Palestine II document, titled “A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide,” in a move carrying theological and political significance related to the Church’s stance on the war on Gaza, settlements, and Palestinian rights.

In an interview with Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Reverend Mitri Raheb, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, commented on the decision, stating that the Kairos II document affirms that “there is no neutrality in this context.” He added that anyone who considers themselves neutral “is in reality standing with the oppressor and the colonizer against the indigenous peoples and against the Palestinian people.”

Reverend Munther Isaac, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hope in Ramallah and director of the Bethlehem Center for Justice and Peace, told Al-Quds Al-Arabi that he welcomes the decision of the United Church of Canada to adopt the Kairos Palestine II document, describing the move as “important and courageous.”

He added that “the Church’s willingness to call the reality as it is—genocide, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing—and to call for accountability and sanctions, reflects a truly prophetic voice.” He expressed his hope that other churches would follow suit and that this commitment would be translated into concrete actions on the ground.

He noted that this moment “is the fruit of years of work, faith, and partnership between Palestinian Christians and churches around the world.”

According to the resolution of the United Church of Canada, the church’s General Secretary recommended that the document be adopted for study, reflection, and action by church members, faith groups, and theological colleges. It also called for support for engagement in the actions outlined within the document by church members, theological institutions, faith groups, and, where applicable, the Canadian government.

The document calls on people of conscience to call reality truthfully, to advocate for accountability and respect for international law, and to reject theologies that justify oppression, including hate-based ideologies such as Christian Zionism, Islamophobia, and antisemitism. It also encourages courageous and costly solidarity with the Palestinian people, particularly the dwindling Christian community, and supports creative, nonviolent resistance, especially boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS).

The document also calls for support for the United Church of Canada, the Church of Canada, and the government of Canada, where applicable. The General Council stated that “by taking these steps, the Church is moving closer to embodying its faith as it proclaims,” noting that the risks “include the consequences of engaging in costly forms of solidarity, such as restricting freedom of expression in support of Palestinian rights.”

He further explained that this proposal deepens the Church’s ability to embody its doctrine, expressions of faith, and commitments to partnership and the fight against racism and oppression. It calls for enhanced engagement with oppressed communities facing genocide, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing.

The Canadian organization “Defenders of Just Peace” stated that while this ratification is important, it has been approached with caution, as the adoption of Kairos II does not necessarily translate into practical steps or redress past harm.

A statement issued by the Canadian NGO, a copy of which was obtained by Al-Quds Al-Arabi, explained that the United Church of Canada had previously signed an agreement with B’nai Brith in 1973. This agreement included attempts to silence the editor of the church magazine, Rev. Dr. A. S. Forrest, because of his writings on UN Resolution 194 and the right of return, and his publication of the book “The Unholy Land.” The statement added that the agreement was also used to limit the church’s grassroots support for Palestine. The statement further noted that the church “has not apologized for its call for Palestinians to accept a Zionist state, after the 38th General Council in 2003 granted its support for the establishment of a Jewish state, stipulating that the Palestinian state and neighboring Arab states must recognize Israel as a Jewish state within secure borders.”

The statement continued that the church maintained “a resolution that restricts support for the Palestinian right of return unless it also includes Jews. In 2012, a package of resolutions was introduced that did not name the apartheid regime, rejected support for the boycott, and restricted the right of return to demographic conditions.” Furthermore, divestment resolutions, including the 2015 resolution to divest from companies supporting the occupation, have not been implemented. None of the approximately 3,000 church congregations has taken any concrete steps in this direction, and they have thus far refrained from supporting calls for action issued by Palestinian Christians.

The Kairos Initiative
Commenting on this decision, Reverend Mitri Raheb said that the Kairos Initiative, a Palestinian Christian initiative, was launched in 2009 in Bethlehem, with the participation of prominent clergy and Christian figures, most notably Patriarch Michel Sabbah, along with 14 Palestinian theologians.

He explained that this was the first iteration of Kairos, and it emerged to constitute “a stand for truth in a very murky time,” when the Palestinian cause had been shelved and was almost forgotten. He clarified that it aimed to create a unified Palestinian Christian voice that would address, first and foremost, the Palestinian people within the occupied territories, as well as churches abroad.

He added that the second edition of “Kairos” was launched last year in the context of the genocide in Gaza, and addressed issues that have become more pressing on the Palestinian scene, including the colonial occupation settlement in the West Bank, which continues to encroach on Palestinian land and turn villages and cities into isolated enclaves, in addition to the genocide committed against the people.

Read the Kairos II document here