The following article by Dianne Kirby was first published in Unity, the weekly paper of the Irish Communist Party.
MAINSTREAM western churches are wrong to disregard Palestinian Christian appeals to acknowledge Israeli crimes. Reluctant still to give name to what the whole world can plainly see is a genocide, many churches continue in denial, implacably clinging to the artificial construct of Judeo-Christianity. Aligned always with their political masters, once Britain officially recognised Palestine, the Church of England Synod, after much delay, recently agreed to 'hear' Kairos II, a theological and political report issued November 2025 by Palestinian Christian leaders. Referencing genocide, apartheid and settler colonialism, Kairos II called Christians to respond urgently to Israeli atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank. The backlash was immediate. Jewish leaders warned against damaging decades of Christian-Jewish dialogue. The chief rabbi called the vote 'shameful', the document 'full of falsehood.' A 'Declaration Against Kairos II', reflecting Christian Zionist views, called on churches worldwide to reject the document. Noting, 'That God's covenantal promises to the Jewish people – ethnic Israel – are enduring and irrevocable', the Declaration equally misleads by claiming Israel is a healthy and functioning democracy. Challenging the Synod and its critics, Pax Christi called for 'solidarity that is not symbolic, but costly… that 'cannot remain at the level of statements or isolated actions' that 'requires continuity, presence, and willingness to remain engaged even when it is difficult, uncomfortable, or even dangerous.'
Despite tomes of evidence to the contrary, Netanyahu persists in claims that Israel, alone in the region, protects Christians. Netanyahu values Christian political power, affluence and influence, above all in America where, despite declining public support for Israel, the US-Israel alliance remains solid. The recently passed defence bill reinforces Pentagon ties with Israel by expanding intelligence-sharing, allocating $750 million for US-Israel cooperative programmes, and extending the War Reserves Stockpile Allies-Israel programme. The 2027 $1.15 trillion defence bill expands US-Israeli defence industrial integration through technology sharing, joint weapons production, and collaborative research and development in sensitive military fields. Yet polling shows that negative perceptions of the Israeli government now extend to Israeli society more broadly, especially in younger age cohorts. An April 2026 Pew survey found that 75% of Americans aged 18-29 and 67% of those aged 30-49 held unfavourable views of Israel. 85% of young Democrats, 83% of Democrats aged 30-49, 64% of young Republicans, and 52% of Republicans aged 30-49, expressed unfavourable views. The latter marks the first time a majority of younger Republicans regard Israel negatively. Significantly, the shift extends to important religious constituencies. Among Americans under 50, half of white Evangelicals viewed Israel unfavourably, as did 74% among Catholics and 80% among religiously unaffiliated Americans.
Aware of the implications for US-Israel long-term relations, Israel has tripled its budget for 'influence operations', including among evangelicals, an important demographic that promotes the illusion that Israel's land theft and ethnic cleansing are biblically justified. Newly filed documents under the Foreign Agents Registration Act reveal that 'Show Faith by Works' plan the 'largest Christian Church Geofencing Campaign in US history.' Designed for churchgoers, the Israeli initiative is recruiting pastors and social media influencers, supported by digital ads that are explicitly 'pro-Israel and anti-Palestinian'. Accompanied by an immersive programme, the 'October 7th Experience', Palestinians are presented through the prism of Hamas.
The campaign is but one of many foreign-agent registrations linked to Israel's Foreign Ministry, now spending millions of dollars to try and repair Israel's gruesome image. Before the Gazan genocide, Israeli 'hasbara' was hugely successful. Now, Israel can spend many more millions, buy yet more politicians and pastors and influencers, but it can never erase the images of bombed tents and burning bodies, limbless children, and an apocalyptic landscape ridden with disease, populated by starving, terrorised, defenceless families.
The reluctance of mainstream churches to call out genocide serves neither the faith nor the faithful. The bible does not mandate support for Israel. Most Christians, like most people, are repelled by Israel's wanton slaughter. The strategy of serving empire protected and promoted Church interests for centuries.
But the world is changing. Mainstream churches should heed Pax Christi, should heed their Palestinian sisters and brothers, should heed the side of history on which they choose to stand.