45th General Council makes clear commitments to Just Peace regarding Palestine and Israel

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45th General Council recalled to deal with unfinished, urgent business on Sept. 13; several proposals dealing with Palestine and Israel receive overwhelming support.

Credit: Lori-Ann Livingston - The United Church of Canada

The 45th General Council met today in an online meeting to address unfinished business from the August 7-11 meetings in Calgary, Alberta. About 180 Commissioners joined the recalled session to deal with a number of Way Forward proposals, including several related to just peace in Palestine and Israel. 

The following items were approved:

GC45 WF13: Proposals on Israel and Palestine HF01, SW02, SW03, SW05: These four regional proposals and were combined by the Way Forward committee based on feedback during the discussion groups in August. The recommendations in HF01, SW02, SW03, and SW05 were affirmed, recognizing that many pieces of work are underway or have taken place. The court directed the General Secretary to apply the Principles for Justice Work as actions were planned and implemented.

GC45 WF41: SW06 The IHRA Antisemitism Definition - A Threat to Charter Rights: This proposal passed with an overwhelming majority, including formally endorsing the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA) definition of antisemitism instead of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.

The General Secretary was also direct to apply the Principles for Justice Work in taking action such as:

• communicating the endorsement of the JDA definition to government and government agencies;
• and in developing, reviewing and enhancing existing educational resources concerning what is and is not antisemitic, focusing on advocacy on issues related to Palestine and Israel;
• And in developing strategies to increase understanding of United Church people and their efforts to help end the Israeli military occupation of Palestine and to bring equal rights and justice for all people living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

Further, the General Secretary was directed to communicate with the Canadian government to urge that the IHRA Handbook and IHRA working definition not be promoted for use in law enforcement, the legal system, education and educational institutions, government programming, work places and civil society because the IHRA working definition does not sufficiently respect the rights of Canadians guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

GC45 WF42: COM06 Emergency Resolution on Gaza was carried, affirming the recommendations of COM06, and directing the General Secretary to apply the Principles for Justice Work in taking the actions as soon as possible

GC45 WF22: PM03 Arms Embargo Now Signatory was carried. Since The United Church of Canada has been a signatory to the Arms Embargo Now call since August 2024, no further action is required, but to encourage individuals in The United Church of Canada to write to their elected officials for Canada to enact a two-way arms embargo that is comprehensive and binding.

The Way Forward proposal, GC45 WF15: BNS02 Development of a Post Gaza Theology, was also passed with an amendment for this work to be brought back to the General Council annual meeting in 2026, not the 46th General Council.

A full summary of the September 13, 2025, recall meeting, including other approved proposals is in process of being developed and will be posted on this site.

Following GC45 in Calgary, The United Church of Canada signed open letters with partners that included key commitments regarding the current situation in Gaza.