The Archbishop of York said he was “intimidated” by Israeli forces during a recent visit to Bethlehem, claiming he was stopped at checkpoints and prevented from visiting Palestinian families in the West Bank, according to reporting by the Daily Mail.
The comments were made during his Christmas Day sermon at York Minster, where he reflected on his Holy Land trip and broader fears shaping relations between communities. We reached out to the Israel Defense Forces for comment.
Why It Matters
The Archbishop of York is the second-most senior cleric in the Church of England, and his remarks carry institutional and diplomatic weight.
His account adds to ongoing international scrutiny of movement restrictions and security enforcement in the occupied Palestinian territories, an issue frequently raised by religious leaders and humanitarian organizations.
What To Know
During his sermon on Christmas Day, Archbishop Stephen Cottrell said that while visiting Bethlehem he was stopped at multiple checkpoints and told by Israeli militias that he could not visit Palestinian families in the West Bank, according to the Daily Mail.
Cottrell described the experience as intimidating and said it illustrated how fear and distrust have come to define interactions between groups in the region. His comments were delivered publicly during a sermon at York Minster.
The archbishop also referenced a meeting with representatives from the YMCA in Bethlehem, which works with Palestinian communities in the West Bank. He said the group gave him an olive wood nativity carving depicting a large grey wall obstructing the biblical scene.
Caveat: The archbishop did not specify the dates of the checkpoint encounters, the exact locations, or which Israeli units were involved. The account reflects his personal testimony delivered during a sermon and does not include corroborating documentation or official Israeli responses, as noted in the original reporting.
What People Are Saying
Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, said during his Christmas Day sermon at York Minster: “We have become fearful of each other, and especially fearful of strangers. We don’t seem to be able to see ourselves in them and, therefore, we spurn our common humanity.”
Cottrell added: “It was sobering for me to see this wall for real on my visit to the Holy Land, and we were stopped at various checkpoints and intimidated by Israeli militias who told us that we couldn’t visit Palestinian families.”
What Happens Next
No official response has yet been issued by Israeli authorities regarding the archbishop’s claims. Church officials have not indicated whether the remarks will prompt formal engagement with Israeli or international bodies.
