Outgoing Archbishop of Canterbury Welby hears stories of annexation in West Bank amid wave of settler violence

The outgoing Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, visited the Palestinian city of Bethlehem on Saturday where he met renowned local pastor Munther Isaac who told him about the rise in settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

Welby was joined by Archbishop Hosam Naum of Jerusalem at the Nativity Church where Pastor Isaac explained the story of the iconic "Christ in the Rubble" manger.

The Christian leaders lit candles for the children of Gaza, where Israel's war had killed over 43,922 people and wounded at least 103,898 others since October 2023 including thousands of children.

"A powerful moment was when we as clergy from Bethlehem prayed for the archbishop and his family and ministry," Isaac wrote on his social media platforms about the visit.  

Welby's visit to the West Bank comes after he stepped down as Archbishop of Canterbury - the most senior clerical position in the Church of England - following intense pressure from the clergy after criticism of his handling of abuse allegations, dating back to the 1970s.

He announced his resignation saying he took "personal and institutional responsibility" for the lack of action allegedly committed by a volunteer at a Christian summer camp decades ago.

Isaac said the delegation also visited Palestinian families to see "firsthand the impact of the settler movement and annexation on Palestinian lives and the future of Palestinian Christianity".

The pastor has been documenting and commenting on a sharp increase in Israeli military and settler violence against Palestinian Christians in Gaza and the West Bank since 2023, including outreach to international NGOs, religious groups, and media to highlight the issue.

Isaac called on all church leaders to work for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and to "stand in solidarity with Palestinians who live under apartheid".

"I emphasised the importance of accountability. Israel acts knowing they are above the law because the international community has been granting Israel such unlawful immunity, let alone funding their settler colonialism. These are very challenging and difficult days," he said.

"Zionists have made their plans clear, and the world – and church leaders – must speak up more than ever."

The visit comes after Pope Francis called for an investigation to determine whether Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

"According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide," he said in an excerpt released from an upcoming book.

"We should investigate carefully to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies," he continued.

The book is based on interviews with the pope and will be released ahead of the pope’s 2025 year-long jubilee.

Arrest campaign in West Bank

The comments from religious leaders also come against a backdrop of increased Israeli violence and arrests in the West Bank.

Israeli forces detained at least 10 Palestinians from various areas in the West Bank on Monday, the Palestinian Wafa news agency reported.

Some of those arrested included former prisoners, who were detained in overnight raids, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society confirmed.

The organisation said the detentions were part of Israel’s ongoing campaign of suppression of Palestinians in the West Bank, where detainees face threats, physical abuse, and destruction of property.

Northwest of Jerusalem, Israeli forces also demolished Palestinian infrastructure using bulldozers on Monday, Wafa reported.

Citing local sources, the news agency said they demolished a garden, hut, and a studio, while two nearby two football pitches were also destroyed.

Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 780 Palestinians, including minors, in the West Bank since October 2023, while over 10,600 have been arrested in the same time frame.