‘Woefully inadequate’ Scottish report on Balfour Declaration criticised
Community leaders hit out at a 'one-sided' document which addresses the possibility for peace between Israel and the Palestinians
Jewish groups across Britain reacted with tempered anger this week, after the Church of Scotland passed a “woefully inadequate” motion on the centenary of the Balfour Declaration.
The vote, taken at the church’s General Assembly on Monday, followed the publication of the Balfour 100 Report last month, which called for a “just peace” in Israel/Palestine, but which was derided as one-sided in its condemnation of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
Board of Deputies president Jonathan Arkush said: “We called out the bias inherent in the document when it was first published and our view remains that it was woefully inadequate in addressing the historical realities of the situation, with some seeking to make the conclusions yet more unbalanced.”
Yet he said there were positive signs, after the debate on the floor of the Assembly expressly mandated the condemnation of Hamas and rejected a proposal for supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
“This shows that there are those in the Kirk who are prepared to listen and engage more constructively,” said Arkush. “Time will tell whether the Church of Scotland wishes to choose truth or polemic.”
Ephraim Borowski from the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (SCoJeC) said: “We remain disappointed at parts of the Church’s report and at the tone of some of the speeches in the debate, whose hostility reduced some church members to tears on the pavement outside.”
However, he added: “We acknowledge the efforts to try to make the report more balanced on the complexities of the Middle East, and welcome the Assembly’s condemnation of the genocidal aims of Hamas and the rejection of economic sanctions against Israel as being counter-productive and unjust.”
He added that “much work” remains to be done to build better relations between the Church of Scotland and the Jewish community north of the border, but said: “There is a clear will for both our doors to remain open.”
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
