Proposed Resolution to Central District Conference of the Mennonite Church

Faith

They treat the wound of my people as if it were nothing. They say, “Peace, Peace, when there is no
peace.” ¹ Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith. ²

As Central District Conference Anabaptist Mennonites, we believe that all human beings are made in the image of God. As followers of Jesus and his gospel of reconciliation, we long for peace, security, and the well-being of all people living in Israel/Palestine. We affirm the spirit of the 2017 MCUSA “Seeking Peace in Israel and Palestine” Resolution.

We believe in caring for those who are undergoing suffering. Palestinian Christians have cried out with one voice from the depths of despair as they confront the U.S.-funded Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza through the Kairos Palestine II – A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide document (Kairos II). This document was written by Palestinian Christians and shared at the Kairos Palestine conference on November 14, 2025, in Bethlehem. From the birthplace of Christ, the land of the incarnation of the Word, and the cradle of love, mercy, and justice, Kairos II is a call to “learn to do good; seek justice; rescue the oppressed.” ³ God the Creator and source of love for all, stands in solidarity with and takes the side of the oppressed, the victims of all forms of injustice and tyranny from every nation regardless of race, religion, or nationality. ⁴ We stand on the mission of the church that is made manifest in joining the work of God’s reign through the pursuit of peace, the defense of the oppressed, and doing good in our communities and the world.

As followers of Jesus, our faith convicts us to speak the truth as to what is happening to the Palestinian people, both on the West Bank and in Gaza. We echo the findings from many scholars and human rights groups, including Palestinian and Israeli groups, that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. All reports from Gaza and the West Bank indicate that Israel has not upheld its obligations under the so- called “ceasefire” and continues to destroy Palestinian life and property. Recognizing this truth, and our complicity, we commit to divesting ourselves financially and theologically from Zionism.

We believe in the practice of lament. We lament our complicity, as Americans, whose tax dollars fund this genocide, and as Christians whose theology has been used to justify it. May God help us lament with the Palestinian people all the ongoing loss of lives, institutions (churches, mosques), hospitals, art, sports, education (universities, schools, day care centers), economy (markets, businesses) and more in Israel’s ongoing genocide against them. Hope My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end. ⁵ We seek to collaborate with the Holy Spirit and witness to the kingdom of God, where everyone is valued and has what they need for flourishing, and we seek to resist actions and ideas that do not work towards the things that make for true, lasting peace. To hold on to faith and hope is resistance. To pray is resistance. To help safeguard all places on earth for sustainable living is resistance. To promote and live

Hope

My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have
hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end. ⁵

We seek to collaborate with the Holy Spirit and witness to the kingdom of God, where everyone is valued and has what they need for flourishing, and we seek to resist actions and ideas that do not work towards the things that make for true, lasting peace. To hold on to faith and hope is resistance. To pray is resistance. To help safeguard all places on earth for sustainable living is resistance. To promote and live peace is resistance. ⁶ We affirm the sanctity of life and the duty to care for creation. We are called to live in coexistence with creation and to care for our siblings living under oppression. ⁷

We hope for cooperation and mutual care between various Christian expressions. Just as Jesus prayed for his disciples, that they would be one, ⁸ the writing of Kairos II from different denominations of Christianity, demonstrated that unity across differences can be possible.

We hope for love and understanding between all the Abrahamic faith traditions, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim, that our differences in stories and traditions, sacred places and sacred ways, might enrich one another’s lives and be used to support one another’s practice.

We hope for a more close-knit relationship between the congregations within Central District Conference and with our Christian siblings around the world as we work toward justice and peace for our siblings in Palestine. We hope for members in Central District Conference to speak the truth in love about this and every matter of importance. When there is disagreement, we hope for openness to dialogue and genuine curiosity about the other, not to confuse firmness of conviction with the need to compete with those with whom we disagree.

Love

But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in
the love of God. ⁹

We cannot love what we do not know. All CDC congregations are encouraged to read and study Kairos II itself, and make use of the Kairos II Study guide , which walks you through the powerful statement from our Palestinian Christian siblings.

Answer the call to Boycott, Divestments, and Sanctions (BDS). In line with the call from Kairos II, CDC members are urged to support creative non-violent resistance, including educating congregants and pastors about boycott campaigns and investment justice tools, such as the American Friends Service Committee’s Investigate and Everence’s “Peace in Palestine and Israel fund,” to divest from Israeli apartheid and genocide.

We do not walk alone. All CDC members are encouraged to join (or create) a local Mennonite Action group engaging in advocacy and connect with the Mennonite Palestine-Israel Network which maintains relationships and resources congregations. All members are encouraged to join and support this living action by creative non-violent resistance with those who have been organizing for years. Develop local relationships with Palestinians – Muslims, Christians, those of no faith tradition – in or near your community (such as, students at colleges and through cultural centers), as a way of practicing ongoing solidarity through befriending and caring about the ongoing nature of the Palestinian struggle.

The primary principle of our faith is to love ¹⁰ our neighbors and our enemies. ¹¹ As we work to respond, let us always keep alive the question “what is the most loving action we can take in this circumstance?” Love calls us to just actions on behalf of the oppressed Palestinian people, centered in non-violent, love oriented movement with those causing harm. Be encouraged to follow this love to creatively come up with your own congregation’s ways of practicing active, ongoing solidarity.

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¹ Jeremiah 4:16
² Habakkuk 2:4
³ Kairos II (3.1), Isaiah 1:17
⁴ Kairos II (3.2), Luke 4:18-19
⁵ Lamentations 3:20-22
⁶ Kairos II (2.3)
⁷ Kairos II (2.6)
⁸ John 17:21
⁹ Jude 1:20-21a
¹⁰ Mark 12:28-34
¹¹ Luke 6:27-36