Apartheid Israel’s military occupation forces have shielded Israeli settlers while they terrorized Palestinian communities, murdering, burning, and injuring hundreds. In a brazen display of impunity, Israel’s genocidal forces have launched massive collective punishment operations across the territory, committing more war crimes and enabling pogroms.
Following the Israeli settlers’ murder of four Palestinians defending their homes in Tell village near Nablus, the Israeli military imposed a suffocating lockdown and executed large-scale raids on the cities of Nablus and Jenin and surrounding villages. At least two Palestinian women were forced to give birth in vehicles at checkpoints, and one woman lost her unborn child due to road closures in Nablus. Dozens of Palestinians have been arrested and detained.
This is part of Israel’s deliberate policy of ongoing Nakba–the logical extension of the settler-colonial apartheid system that was established in 1948 and governs all of historic Palestine today. It is built on dispossession, ethnic cleansing, and denial of our refugees’ UN-stipulated and inherent right to return to their lands and receive reparations.
Shut It Down – Peacefully disrupt the institutions and corporations complicit in Israel’s genocide. Organize strikes (when feasible), walkouts, boycotts and sit-ins. No business as usual under genocide.
Expand Apartheid-Free Zones – Demand your university, workplace, union, city, or church cut ties with apartheid Israel and respect BDS guidelines.
Pressure Governments to Impose Lawful Sanctions on Israel – These accountability measures, which must include a comprehensive military embargo, are a legal obligation for all states following the ICJ decisions in 2024.
Build Broad-Tent Coalitions – Intersectional anti-racist coalitions for justice are needed now more than ever.
Amplify Palestinian Voices – Showcase Palestinian culture, popular resistance, and visions of liberation through film screenings, art exhibitions, teach-ins, and public discussions.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER — CHURCHES HEAR PALESTINIAN CRIES
FOR JUSTICE AND LIBERATION IN A TIME OF GENOCIDE
In a momentous step toward responsibility, the General Synod of the Church of England has voted to “hear” the cry of Palestinians in the Kairos II Document. Impetus for the positive vote began with the pastoral visitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, to Anglican congregations in Palestine/Israel in June.
Speaking at the Tent of Nations during her visit to the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, the Archbishop made this promise: ‘I will carry these encounters with me as I return home. I will use my role as Archbishop to seek the peace you desire and the freedom you deserve.”
With the subsequent support of the Archbishop and other church leaders, the General Synod agreed to address a diocesan-synod motion from Carlisle to engage with the Palestinian Christian document, Kairos Palestine II – A Moment of Truth: Faith in the Time of Genocide. Church Times reported the hours of impassioned debate and procedural delays, culminating in a vote to “hear” a document that describes Israel as a “colonial enterprise” that inflicted a “genocidal war on Gaza.” “Hearing” the document authorizes distribution into dioceses and individual parishes for faithful study.
The Synod’s vote overcame strong appeals to reject the document from the U.K.’s Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, and the Board of Deputies of British Jews. The U.K.’s Jewish Voice for Liberation, in contrast, said, “We were delighted to learn that the Church of England’s General Synod has today, July 13th, resisted the pressure from the UK’s Chief Rabbi and others from Jewish Establishments.”
Fr. Fadi Diab (left), Archbishop Mullally, with the Archbishop of the Episcopal Diocse of Jerusalem, the Most Revd Hosam Naoum, June 21, at St. Peter’s Church, Birzeit, West Bank.
One of Dame Sarah’s hosts during her visit to Diocese of Jerusalem is the Rector of St Andrew’s in the West Bank city of Ramallah, the Rev. Fadi Diab. Fr. Diab, a co-writer of the Kairos II Document, attended the General Synod. In aninterview with Church Times, Fr. Diab stated that the British government is implicated in the Middle East conflict and “compelled, as part of its historical role” to support the Palestinian people and help to end the Israeli occupation.
Fr. Diab also stated, “Since 7 October, the Church has not vocally and practically made really strong statements or actions to stop the subjugation and oppression and exploitation of the Palestinian community.” He urged the Church to pressure governments to hold Israel responsible to international law and liberation for Palestinians.
The Anglican Communion, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury as “first among equals,” is made up of independent national/regional churches living within an international structure of faithful mutual accountability and administrative decisionmaking. The Episcopal Church in the United States is a member of the Communion. The actions of the General Synod and the words of the Archbishop of Canterbury issue a challenge to the U.S. denomination to “hear” Palestinians and acknowledge genocide.
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted 454-15 on June 30, 2026, to formally recognize Israel’s military action in Gaza as a genocide. Key actions of the Resolution:
Genocide Recognition: Formally adopted a resolution declaring the military campaign in Gaza a violation of international laws prohibiting genocide.
Divestment: Voted unanimously to divest church funds from Palantir Technologies and General Electric Aerospace over their technological and military ties to Israel.
Boycotts and Embargoes: Urged active church members to boycott Israeli products tied to the conflict and called on the U.S. Congress to enact an arms embargo against Israel.
Recommended Articles
I’m a scholar of genocide. We’re entering a terrifying new era. In this guest essay in the N.Y. Times, Dr. Omer Bartov points out that historically either the perpetrators of genocide accomplish their goal, or a military force stops them and accountability ensues. What will be our future if Israel is not stopped and held accountable?
The Crisis of Zionism and the future of Palestine.The Palestine Chronicle exclusively shares the full text of a recent speech delivered by renowned Israeli historian Professor Ilan Pappé at the 2026 Marxism Festival in London. Pappé examines the historical evolution of Zionism, arguing that its current brutality reflects a profound structural crisis.
Karim Kahn dared to hold Israel to account — and that’s why he was brought down. Khan’s ICC arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, former Israeli Defense Minister, remain the most serious response the international community has made to Gaza genocide. Read the sordid story of the 18 month campaign to destroy his legitimacy with lies.
Quote of the Week
“Since 7 October 2023, US taxpayers paid over $20 billion in direct aid to the genocidal Israeli regime. The US government also took over $80 billion more tax money for its direct intervention in support of genocide in order to bomb countries in our region. Look at profits of companies like Northrop Grumman, Lockhead Martin, RTX, General Dynamics, Boeing, and Elbit Systems. While taxpayers foot the bill and the US now has some 40 trillion in debt, Israel and weapons manufacturers made out with hundreds of billions. In total the US spent over 9 trillion on wars on our people in Western Asia and North Africa not because it is good for the US public but because of the Zionist and corporate lobbies (and those are now intertwined more than ever).”
[A Comment from the Middle East perspective: Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh]
Runner Up
“In 4 days, Iran has managed to expand its scope of military domination in the region. Iran has destroyed the most precious, most expensive military bases, assets and equipment in the whole world. American bases in Bahrain and Kuwait and Qatar and Saudi Arabia are some of the biggest military installations in the entire world. These are assets that took trillions to build over the course of several decades. We’re talking a major chunk of military expenditure for over 30 years, going up in smoke.
We are seeing radars costing hundreds of millions of dollars a piece being destroyed in an instant. We are seeing entire military bases being abandoned and burned, decimated and destroyed. And I’m telling you from my knowledge, the US has never suffered such devastation in its entire history, except maybe Pearl Harbor but that was one attack.
No enemy in a normal war has done to the US military what the Iranians are doing to the US military right now. This defies belief. The military situation is so bad that censorship blocks practically every piece of new information about this war. If you’ve noticed we’re being exposed to less and less every day.” Israeli journalist, Alon Mizrahi, posted 7/25 on Facebook
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted 454-15 on June 30, 2026, to formally recognize Israel’s military action in Gaza as a genocide. Key actions of the Resolution:
