UK's top cleric 'shocked' after Israeli forces arrested Palestinian Christian woman

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - England’s top cleric, the archbishop of Canterbury, said Tuesday that he is "shocked and deeply concerned" over reports that a 23-year-old Palestinian Christian woman has been arrested by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank.

"Together with our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters, I pray for Layan (Nasir) and her family - and for the congregation of St Peter’s Anglican Church in the Occupied West Bank," Justin Welby, wrote on X, quoting a post about the arrest of Nasir.

On Monday, Richard Sewell, dean of St George’s College in Jerusalem, wrote on X that a member of the church in Birzeit in the Occupied West Bank has been arrested by Israeli forces.

"Layan Nasir is a 23 year old Palestinian Christian. Family don’t know where she is being held. Great concern and prayers for Layan and her family," he added.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip after a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas last Oct. 7.

At least 459 Palestinians have since been killed and around 4,750 others injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied territory, according to the Health Ministry.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in January issued an interim ruling that ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza, where more than 33,300 people have been killed.