CHRISTIANS and Jews must work together to combat the “virus” of anti-Semitism, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said.

In an article published on the Church Times website to mark the 75th anniversary of the Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ), of which he is a president, Archbishop Welby writes that anti-Semitism is “ready to latch on to a whole range of issues with its twisted logic of hatred”.

He continues: “This is the reason that we need to be constantly reminded of the Shoah, a responsibility CCJ takes very seriously, arranging visits for Christian clergy that have been running for over a decade to Yad Vashem, the International Holocaust Education Centre.”

Since its formation on 1 October 1942, the Archbishop writes, CCJ has facilitated discussions on “contentious issues” that others might “shy away from”.

“One particular situation which seems able to inflame latent toxicity is the conflicted state of the Middle East, where legitimate criticisms of policies of the Israeli government need to be carefully distinguished from attacks on the very existence of the State of Israel.

“Strongly committed both to the secure and peaceful existence of Israel, and to the need to find a just and permanent settlement for the Palestinian people, CCJ’s role has been to encourage and facilitate dialogue.”

Comment: A rallying cry to work together against evil