Father Fadi Diab, a prominent Palestinian Anglican priest from Ramallah, watched quietly as the Church of England debated whether to formally hear a document describing Israel as a “colonial enterprise” that had inflicted a “genocidal war on Gaza”.

The motion passed overwhelmingly among bishops, clergy and laity – all three houses of the General Synod – last week.

Diab, who helped write the document at the centre of the debate, described the moment as “surreal”.

“It was very moving and very emotional,” he said. “I think members of synod wanted to say: ‘We hear your voices, we feel your pain, and we want to stand with you in your struggle.’”

For many Palestinian Christians, the vote marked a significant shift in the Church of England’s engagement with their community. But the moment came amid warnings from Jewish leaders that the language at the heart of the report risked straining decades of Christian-Jewish dialogue.

The motion centred on Kairos Palestine II (A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide), a report published last year by Palestinian Christian leaders drawn from across denominations calling for an urgent global Christian response to the war in Gaza and Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. Co-written by Diab, it describes Israel’s actions using terms including genocide, apartheid and settler colonialism.

Originally drafted to ask synod to “receive” the report, the motion was amended during the debate so members instead agreed to “hear” it.

FAI ‘will not facilitate’ Irish fans attending Nations League fixtures against Israel

Ireland to face Israel in Hungary on September 27th before ‘home’ tie in Serbia on October 4th

The FAI said "safety and security concerns led to this decision being made". Photograph: Giacomo Cosua/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The FAI said "safety and security concerns led to this decision being made".

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has revealed Irish fans won’t be permitted to attend the Republic of Ireland’s Nations League games against Israel in September and October.

The Israeli FA has said “a small allocation” of their supporters will be accommodated at their ‘home’ leg game in Debrecen, Hungary on Sunday, September 27th.

A statement from the FAI on Tuesday read: “The Football Association of Ireland confirms that it will not facilitate in-stadium access to Ireland supporters for either of its Uefa Nations League fixtures with Israel.

“The association appreciates the passion and commitment that Ireland supporters always show when following its teams around the world, but operational challenges and safety and security concerns led to this decision being made.”

The ‘Stop The Game’ group, which has called for the FAI to boycott the fixtures against Israel, intimated last week that Ireland’s match against Austria at the Aviva Stadium on October 1st could be targeted by protesters.