Church of England bishop calls Israel apartheid state, makes comparison to South Africa

Bishop Rachel Treweek called Israel an apartheid state and said she stands "boldly" with people who compare the Israeli treatment of Palestinians to how Black people were treated in apartheid South Africa.

The comments from Treweek were published in a reflection posted on the Diocese of Gloucester website, coming after she visited Israel and the occupied West Bank last month.

"In the past I have been wary of using the word apartheid to describe the situation in Palestine-Israel, but having seen even more starkly how life is now in the occupied Palestinian territory, I wish to stand alongside other individuals and groups, not least Christians, in boldly naming apartheid," she stated.

The Bishop worked in the Anglican church in South Africa in 1994 following the abolishment of the racist apartheid system, using her experience to draw comparisons to Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.

She reiterated that she stands by her comments, acknowledging differences between the situation in Israel-Palestine and apartheid South Africa, but saying there are strong resonances.

"I do want to call out the way the Israeli government and military are acting in the West Bank. But I’m not anti-Israel and I’m not pro-Palestine. I think I am standing for justice for all people," she added.

The bishop visited Palestinian families during her time in the West Bank, where she met the family of Layan Nasir, a 23-year-old Palestinian Anglican woman held in Israeli detention without charges since April.

She also met with some of the families of captives held in Gaza, calling for their release.

Bishop Treweek is Britain’s first female bishop and is a senior member of the Church of England.

A Lambeth Palace spokesman said Justin Welby, the Archbishop Cantbury, was grateful for her “powerful reflections”.

"This state of affairs is illegal, unjust and needs to be brought to an end as quickly as possible," he said.

Bishop Treweek’s comments have been applauded by activist and leaders, who used it to reiterate calls for a ceasefire.

Ben Jamal, the director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign said: "Bishop Treweek is right to assert this truth. One cannot tackle an injustice unless one is prepared to name it."

However, some Jewish faith leaders hit out at Treweek’s comments.

"It is very sad that an eminent Bishop chooses to repeat a completely false accusation, a falsehood used by anti-Semites as a justification to target innocent Jews," Rabbi Menachem Margolin said.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 39,324 Palestinians since October and wounded at least 90,830 others in the same time frame.

Meanwhile, around 8,875 Palestinians have been arrested by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank since October, according to the Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Club.