Full Breakdown
Archbishop of Canterbury’s Holy Land Pilgrimage Calls for End to Israeli Occupation
6/27/2026, 8:03:58 AM
Pilgrimage and Joint Call
From 19 to 24 June 2026, Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally and Anglican Archbishop of Jerusalem Hosam Naoum travelled through Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem and the West Bank. Mullally met 26-year-old Palestinian Anglican Layan Nasir, detained three times, and the Nassar family, Christian landowners facing settler attacks. She noted a “web of checkpoints” and a “catastrophic collapse” of Gaza’s health system, while the Anglican Al Ahli hospital remains open. Their pilgrimage concluded with a joint pastoral letter urging politicians to “take all necessary measures to establish a credible path towards ending the occupation” and to pursue a two-state solution with Jerusalem as a shared capital.
Official Statements
The letter cites “unchecked settler violence, forced displacement, systemic discrimination” and says annexation is “already taking place in all but name.” It frames the conflict as a “deeper political and spiritual crisis” that abandons international law. The Church of England’s General Synod will debate a motion to review investment policies, and Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani of Chelmsford linked the debate to “justice and human dignity for everyone.”
Criticism and Opposition
Four senior bishops urged the British government to act against rising settler violence, warning it threatens the historic Christian presence. Archbishop Stephen Cottrell of York reported being stopped at checkpoints by militias in 2025. The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs warned EU officials that Israeli policies endanger Palestinian Christians.
Impact and Significance
The archbishops say the decline of Christian communities erodes the Holy Land’s heritage and breaches international humanitarian law, citing the International Court of Justice’s 2024 advisory opinion. Reviewing Church investments could affect funding for ministries that support local Christians, while a negotiated two-state solution aims to align the conflict with the rules-based international system.
Verbatim Quotes
- “A Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Sarah Mullally and Archbishop Hosam Naoum 25 June 2026 Let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth.” — Dame Sarah Mullally, Archbishop of Canterbury
- “the peace you desire and the freedom you deserve.” — Dame Sarah Mullally, Archbishop of Canterbury
- “The international community must not look away; it bears a moral responsibility to relieve this agony and help rebuild Gaza’s society.” — Dame Sarah Mullally, Archbishop of Canterbury
- “As we travel together from Bethlehem to Jerusalem and throughout the Holy Land, following the path of our Lord’s earthly ministry, we are reminded of our shared calling to be instruments of his peace and reconciliation.” — Hosam Naoum, Anglican Archbishop of Jerusalem
Next Steps
The General Synod will vote on the investment-policy motion in July 2026. Mullally pledged to continue lobbying for a negotiated two-state solution and to raise the plight of Palestinian Christians within the Anglican Communion. The archbishops will continue dialogue with Israeli and Palestinian civil-society partners and monitor compliance with international law.
