Archbishop of York accuses Israel of committing ‘genocidal acts’ in Gaza

The Archbishop of York has described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocidal acts,” with the Chief Rabbi condemning what he described as the churchman’s “incendiary and morally inverted accusation”

In an interview with the Church Times, Stephen Cottrell described Israeli military actions as “genocidal acts, rather than genocide.”

He explained, “These appear to be deliberately indiscriminate acts,” but he stopped short of using the broader term “genocide.”

“When hospitals and schools are targeted, when children are targeted . . . I wonder what other language we use to describe what is happening. And again, I make it clear that this is the actions of the Israeli state, and for people of faith — be they Jewish people, Christian people, or Muslim people — we must find a way for people to live in peace with one another.”

Responding this evening, Chief Rabbi Mirvis said: “The Archbishop of York has spoken of the need to be ‘painfully honest’ about the conflict in Israel and Gaza. But it is simply not possible to do that without faithfully seeking to understand more than one perspective.

“It saddens me greatly that his irresponsible approach, reaching for the incendiary and morally inverted accusation of ‘genocidal acts’, will serve only to foster yet more enmity and division.

“I will be writing to the Archbishop to set out my concerns in detail.”

Rabbi Charley Baginsky & Rabbi Josh Levy, Co-Leads of Progressive Judaism also said: “In the UK, statements about Israel-Palestine have real consequences for communities of faith, where Palestinian suffering and rising antisemitism are deeply felt.

“Moral clarity must always be paired with social responsibility. The language used inflames tensions and shuts down dialogue instead of promoting justice and understanding.”

The Jewish Leadership Council added: “We are deeply disappointed by the the Archbishop of York’s choice of language. In particular, his accusation of “genocidal acts” is not only a factual error, but a perverse distortion of a conflict initiated by a terrorist group which seeks the destruction of the Jewish state through indiscriminate murder.

“At a time of growing division in the UK, as politicians and activists compete to use the most extreme rhetoric on events in the Middle East, the Archbishop’s words demonstrate a failure to understand the devastating impact this behaviour has on the Jewish community here. Over the past two years, we have seen how antisemites have become emboldened to attack Jews in the UK using the backdrop of foreign affairs as an excuse.

“Instead of acting in the best interests of peace and compassion, the Archbishop has chosen to present a loaded and incorrect narrative.”

The Board of Deputies described their “concern” at “recent remarks attributed to the Archbishop of York in this area, and will be in touch with his office to seek clarification.”

Cottrell also described the situation in the West Bank, which he visited earlier this month, as amounting to “apartheid” and “ethnic cleansing”, saying that it gave him  “no joy whatsoever to use these words.”

He elaborated, saying: “What’s happening in the West Bank is not what happened in South Africa, but you’re left thinking: what other language do I use to describe such a two-tier system where one group of people is so persistently and systematically denied their human rights and having to live a parallel life?”

He continued, “What is happening is deliberate and systematic, persistent and intentional, and its impact is devastating.”

While visiting the village of Umm al-Khair, Cottrell described being confronted by “heavily armed settlers.”

He recounted, “The people there were being literally squeezed out by settlers, first of all splitting in half the village, then surrounding the homes of Palestinian people. How do you describe the impact of that except by using phrases like ethnic cleansing?”

Anticipating criticism for his strong language, Cottrell said, “I want to be very clear that these are the policies of the Israeli state. This is not about Judaism. It’s not about Jewish people. It’s about the state’s actions and policies, which the international community must challenge.”

Cottrell said he was influenced by conversations with human rights activists, including Rabbis for Human Rights.

Anton Goodman, the organisation’s director of partnerships, had told him: “As a Jewish person, I have to take part in advocacy for human rights. We try to give Israeli society an alternative to hold on to.”

In a statement on Wednesday, the Council of Christians and Jews said:

“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 that this 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.”