UK antisemitsm researcher questions Archbishop of Canterbury's Israel visit, warns of 'false narrative'

British antisemitism researcher David Collier says the Archbishop of Canterbury's recent visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories offered an opportunity to better understand the region.

In a recent interview with Christian journalist Paul Calvert, he said that some of the meetings and messaging that followed reinforced misleading narratives about the conflict.

Collier discussed the archbishop's visit, the individuals she met, broader debates within parts of the Christian church over Israel and Zionism, and what he sees as the need for Western church leaders to engage with a wider range of voices from the region.

Collier welcomed the archbishop's decision to visit Israel, saying firsthand experience is invaluable.

“It’s wonderful when people come and visit Israel because when people come and visit Israel, it gives them an opportunity to see the truth and to tell the truth. So in theory…her coming should have been a good thing," he said.

However, he expressed concern about some of the individuals included in meetings during the visit, saying the archbishop's delegation met people he associates with politically controversial organizations, including supporters of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a designated terrorist organization.

According to Collier, some of the public narratives that emerged from the visit risk oversimplifying complex political and security realities. Referring to one specific case discussed during the interview, he said:

"It’s a false narrative. It’s not the truth at all."

Collier also discussed what he views as broader challenges within parts of the Christian church regarding Israel, Zionism and antisemitism.

He argued that some theological and political frameworks have blurred the distinction between anti-Zionism and antisemitism.

"Anti-zionism is antisemitism, and the church has,” he said. “Sadly, some of it swallowed these anti- Zionist narratives because it helps facilitate an antisemitism that they have carried for thousands of years."

He also argued that Christians across the region experience different realities depending on where they live and said that Western audiences do not always receive a complete picture of those experiences.

He called on church leaders and other observers to engage with a broader range of Christian voices, particularly those he believes are underrepresented in public discussions.

Collier further emphasized the diversity of Christian communities across the Middle East and North Africa, arguing that Western reporting can sometimes rely on incomplete or politically framed perspectives. He said broader engagement with voices across the region would give church leaders and international observers a fuller understanding of realities on the ground.

Click below to listen to the full interview.