Yesterday the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, shared his reflections on a recent visit to Palestinian territories, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem. He movingly shared the traumatic experience and testimony of Palestinian Christians he met in the West Bank and occupied territories. We are alarmed that violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has risen in recent months. We wholeheartedly condemn this.
We would like to remind Archbishop Cottrell of the deep responsibility his words and office hold. Archbishop Cottrell made clear his commitment to combat antisemitism, his condemnation of anti-Jewish hatred and that his remarks were directed at the Israeli government. However, he must understand that his words have an impact for British Jews who are already facing antisemitism at record levels and which we have seen lead to deadly attacks on the Jewish community.
We believe that it is possible to find compassion and hope for both Israelis and Palestinians to live in safety and security with peace and justice for all, and that we must listen to a wide range of voices to ensure we are mindful of the variety of perspectives held.
While we hold concern for both Palestinians and Israelis in the region we must recognise the impact of global events on our doorstep. Community cohesion in the UK is extremely fragile, and we urge all those who share in this concern to join us in building bridges between communities, to act in solidarity with one another and to be allied against antisemitism and all forms of prejudice and hate.