Archbishop of York Accuses Israel of 'Genocidal Acts' and Calls for International Accountability

The Archbishop of York, the Most Rev. Stephen Cottrell, has publicly accused the Israeli government of committing "genocidal acts" in the Palestinian territories after a four-day pilgrimage to Israel and the occupied West Bank. He described the conditions he witnessed as amounting to "apartheid" and "ethnic cleansing," and said using such language caused him personal pain but felt necessary to convey what he saw.

In interviews and a public address, Mr Cottrell said he was at times prevented by armed Israeli forces and local militias from visiting areas he intended to see. He called those incidents "a tiny, tiny example" of the daily realities he believes many Palestinians face in the West Bank. "They are being forced out of their homes and off their land," he said, calling the situation "a deliberate and unacceptable denial of human dignity and human rights."

"If you are a Palestinian living in the West Bank… you live in a deeply discriminatory political regime that intentionally and clearly prioritises the political, legal and social rights of Israeli settlers over Palestinians living in the same territory," Mr Cottrell said. "What else can you call that but something like apartheid?"

He was explicit that his criticism targets Israeli government policy, not Judaism or Jewish people. "It is the Israeli Government that is to blame, and not Judaism or the Jewish people," he emphasised, stressing the importance of distinguishing political decisions from religious identity.

Responses from Jewish Leaders and Church Figures

The Archbishop's remarks drew strong responses from senior Jewish communal leaders. Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the UK’s Chief Rabbi, described the comments as "an irresponsible approach," warning that using the phrase "genocidal acts" risks increasing division and hostility. The Board of Deputies of British Jews said it was "concerned" and intended to seek clarification from the Archbishop's office.

Senior figures across the Church of England have previously criticised aspects of Israeli policy and expressed alarm about the humanitarian cost of the conflict. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the House of Bishops have issued statements condemning the suffering in Gaza and raising questions about discrimination in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, though until now they largely stopped short of employing the term "genocide."

Calls for Accountability and Wider Context

Mr Cottrell urged the international community to uphold international law and to hold accountable those responsible for breaches. "So, where international law has been broken and rights denied, those responsible must be held accountable, even after the war's end," he said, warning that temporary ceasefires do not constitute the justice needed for lasting peace.

The article also noted recent regional repercussions. Most recently, a reported strike in southern Lebanon killed 13 people; the Israeli military said it targeted militants it described as affiliated with Hamas. The conflict has produced periodic cross-border incidents and heightened regional tensions since October 2023.

This strongly worded intervention from a senior Church of England figure is likely to intensify debate within both religious and political communities over the language used to describe the conflict and over what international mechanisms should be used to investigate allegations and secure accountability.