A Summary of the Methodist Conference Position on Israel Palestine

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Through reports and Memorials the Methodist Conference has agreed a position on the ongoing occupation and conflict in the Holy Land. Set out below are the conclusions that Conference has agreed over many years of conferring.

Israel and Palestine

Until the 2026 Conference, the Methodist Church advocated a return to the 1967 borders and a status for Jerusalem that recognised it as a city of two nations and three faiths, founded on the principle of parity of esteem for all its communities. (1)
In 2026, the Conference adopted a memorial that set out the principles that should underpin a just solution, without prescribing a particular political outcome (i.e. a two-state solution). It reaffirmed its commitment to self-determination, the right of return for Palestinians, and equal human rights for both Israeli and Palestinian peoples, stating that these constitute the minimum requirements for a just resolution of the conflict. (2)
The state of Israel has a right to exist, Palestinians have the same right to self-determination, and the State of Palestine should be recognized. (3) The Methodist Conference called in 2024 (4) and 2025 (5) on the UK government to recognize the State of Palestine. In September 2025 the President and Vice President welcomed the UK government decision to recognise the State of Palestine. (6)
The first principle of the Methodist Church’s Justice Seeking Church policy states that God made humans in the image of God, each worthy of equal value and dignity. (7) Therefore, any form of discrimination is wholly incompatible with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Such prejudice, including antisemitism and Islamophobia, wherever it is found, must be clearly identified, openly challenged, and unequivocally rejected.
The Methodist Church defines antisemitism and Islamophobia within its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Toolkit. (8)
In its response to a memorial at the 2018 Conference, the Methodist Church affirmed that criticism of the policies and actions of the Government of Israel is not, in itself, antisemitic, unless there is additional evidence of antisemitic intent. It further stated that such criticism should be applied consistently to the actions of all governments. At the same time, the Church made clear that the political decisions and actions of the Israeli government must not be attributed to Jewish people as a whole or to the Jewish faith. (9)

Violence

We have stated that the inhumane and unjust treatment of ordinary citizens and the terror of random violence is deeply disturbing. (10)
Hamas and the Government of Israel must provide explicit acceptance of the right to peace, security and prosperity for all Israelis and Palestinians. (11)

The Occupation

The building of illegal settlements on Palestinian land is illegal under International Law and should be reversed. (12)
The building of the Separation Wall on Palestinian land is illegal and it should be pulled down. (12)
All should have freedom of movement and the right to worship in the region. (12)
The rights of Palestinian refugees should be upheld. (12)
The entrenched military rule of Israel in the West Bank intentionally subjecting Palestinians to live behind walls and checkpoints, satisfies the prevailing evidentiary standard for the existence of apartheid as assessed by the UN Special Rapporteur, in his report of 21 March 2022. (13)
At the 2025 conference we endorsed the World Council of Churches statement on naming the reality of Apartheid imposed by Israel on the Palestinian people, in violation of international law and moral conscience. (14)
Israel’s occupation of the West Bank is illegal and we call for an end to the occupation. (12) The President of Conference welcomed the UK Government’s decision to ban goods from illegal Israeli settlements and also welcomed its position, now aligned with the 19 July 2024 ruling of the International Court of Justice, that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank is illegal. (15)

Arms Embargo

There should be an arms embargo against all sides in the conflict. (12)
The Methodist Conference, in the light of the Gaza conflict (2023/24) called on the British Government to cease all sales of arms to Israel and to remain vigilant regarding the arms embargo on countries that might supply Hamas. (16)
The Methodist Conference calls on the UK government to suspend the right of Israeli defence companies involved in the occupation to tender for Ministry of Defence contracts. (17)

Action

That Methodist people take pro-active action in the region by engaging in projects and programmes that improve livelihoods and encourage greater interaction between divided communities through promoting justice and peace. (17)
Encouragement to individual Methodists, churches, circuits and districts to be involved in non-violent campaigns aimed to end the occupation including the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. (18)
We deplore and condemn all forms of discrimination including antisemitism and islamophobia and commend the work of the Justice, Dignity and Solidarity committee and the mandatory EDI training the Conference agreed in 2021. (19)
The valuable work of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme for Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) is welcome, and the Methodist Conference recognises that EAPPI continues to prevail in its protection work in the face of financial, logistical and political challenges and urges its continued support by WCC. (20)
In 2026 the Methodist Church joined the Just Peace Coalition of Uk based Christian Organisations and Churches to campaign for a Just Peace in the Holy Land. (21)