by Daoud Kuttab, Milhilard.org

Prominent Palestinian Christian figures welcomed the release of the “Kairos Palestine II” document, launched recently amidst the war on Gaza, affirming that it represents a renewal of the Palestinian Church’s message and a clear call to confront genocide and expose the global decline in human values.

Rev. Dr. Munther Ishaq, pastor of the Lutheran Evangelical Church in Ramallah and a member of the board of directors of Kairos Palestine, said that Kairos II comes within a new context and expresses “theology and faith in a time of genocide,” addressing what it means to be a church under such conditions.
“It is also an embodiment of the theology of resilience and hope. The document is written in clear, unambiguous language that calls for naming things. It considers Zionism and Christian Zionism to be racist, exclusionary, and colonial ideologies. Kairos II insists that no political solution can be legitimate unless it begins with the truth.”

Pastor Ishaq emphasized to Milhilard.org that while much has been said about political solutions, “reality says otherwise. Talking about a political solution today is meaningless if we do not begin by acknowledging the historical injustice inflicted on Palestinians since the inception of the Zionist movement and the Balfour Declaration. Settler colonialism and the apartheid system based on Jewish supremacy must be dismantled… We reject any state with conditions and diminished sovereignty. We demand international protection, accountability, and reparations.”

He continued: “True solutions will be based on justice, equality, and self-determination, not the logic of force. Kairos II is not a beautification of suffering; it is a call to persevere… to hope… to rebuild… to reject annihilation. It is a call to take up the cross. Our perseverance is our witness. Our hope is our resistance. Our survival is our proclamation of life.”

Rev. Dr. Hanna Katanasho

Rev. Dr. Hanna Katanasho, Academic Dean of Nazareth Evangelical College, stated that the document expresses “the thoughts of a group of Palestinians who are suffering immense pain and facing the killing of children and injustice.” He explained that it is an attempt “to bring this context into God’s presence to understand His will and spread a message of peace and love in light of justice.”

Katanasho added: “God has chosen us, as the Palestinian people, to reveal to the world how justice is linked to God’s identity and love. Kairos II places genocide at the heart of the conflict and develops the Christian message in light of the global moral collapse and the spread of brutality, which is the antithesis of Christ, the source of love, mercy, and peace.”

Rev. Dr. Jack Sara, President of Bethlehem Bible College

Rev. Dr. Jack Sara, president of Bethlehem Bible College, described the new document as “a new beginning for a very important initiative.”

He said, “Kairos II is more courageous and clear. It calls on Christians around the world to seriously consider the Palestinian issue and defines what is required from a Palestinian Christian perspective.”

Lamma Mansour

Lamma Mansour, a Rhodes Scholar and PhD holder in Social Intervention Policies from Oxford University, also told Milhilard.org that Kairos II is an important and much-needed update to Kairos I. “It is a necessary effort at a critical time for Palestinians and especially for Palestinian Christians.”

Nora Carmi

Nora Carmi, a Christian Palestinian who has dedicated her life to working for peace and justice, told Milhilard.org that it was absolutely necessary to update Kairos to better reflect current realities. “We always need honesty and courage to evaluate our words and actions.”

Omar Harami

For his part, activist Omar Harami, director of the Sabeel Institute for Palestinian Liberation Theology, affirmed that releasing the new document amidst the war of genocide is evidence of the Palestinian Church’s vitality and ability to confront the moment.

He told Salt of the Earth: “Over the past two years, in the midst of the war of genocide, Kairos II was formulated as a work that reflects the Church’s engagement and its readiness to confront all attempts to use Christian theology to justify genocide and the denial of Palestinian rights.”

He added: “The insistence of the people of Gaza on returning north to check on their homes proves that the people are alive, and the document, in turn, confirms that the Church is also alive—searching for solutions and challenging all those who support genocide.”

Areej Masoud, executive director of the Bethlehem-based Khayati Society, which offers an optional training program for Palestinian women, noted that as the year of Jubilee ends, Palestinians are still pleading with the world to hear our truth. “Genocide continues while parts of the church debate their stance, and many of us are realizing we are not as safe in the church as we once believed. The first Kairos document carried a prophetic cry, and it is unfortunate that we now need a second one. We were never meant to repeat our plea. What we need is a church that speaks with conviction for justice, faith, hope, and love.

Salim J. Munayer, PHd

Dr. Salim J. Munayer, founder of the Musalaha Center, said that Kairos II is “both profound and remarkable,” noting that in one of the most painful moments any people have endured, Palestinian Christians still possess the mental and spiritual depth to produce a document of such strength.

He added: “The document laments with honesty the most degrading forms of human suffering and abandonment in modern history. The challenge now is to ensure that Kairos II is widely shared and heard, breaking through the longstanding silence and complicity of much of the Western Church. The realities faced by the Palestinian people over the last century will not fade away, and neither should the prophetic witness contained in this document.”