Church House is hosting a “Gaza tribunal” organised by Jeremy Corbyn despite its policy prohibiting lettings to groups that promote racial prejudice.

UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) has written to Church House, Westminster, which is the headquarters of the Church of England, to raise concerns about the Gaza Tribunal, taking place on 4 and 5 September 2025.

The Tribunal is described as an “Inquiry into British Complicity […] in Israeli war crimes in Gaza” which “will establish the full scale of our government’s complicity in the genocide against the Palestinian people.” The “expert witnesses” include Francesca Albanese, whose remarks about Israel have been condemned as antisemitic by governments of France, Germany, the USA, Canada and others.

UKLFI’s letter to Church House explained that Mr Corbyn’s recent remarks regarding Israel demonstrate that the Tribunal is not intended to be an impartial inquiry but a political platform for those advancing allegations of genocide and war crimes against Israel. Such language is inflammatory, one-sided, risks fuelling antisemitic hostility, and misrepresents the legal position.

The Ethical Lettings Policy of Church House clearly prohibits lettings to groups that promote racial prejudice, recognising such views as wholly anathema to the teachings of the Church of England, and requires the Corporation to guard against reputational risk.

UKLFI’s letter warned Church House that by offering a platform to individuals whose remarks have been condemned internationally as antisemitic, and by amplifying allegations of “genocide” against Israel and complicity by the UK, Church House risks appearing to legitimise racial prejudice.

The IHRA working definition includes examples such as “claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour”, or “drawing comparisons between contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis”, or “applying double standards [to the Jewish state] by requiring of it a behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation”. It seems likely that all of these examples of antisemitism may be aired at the Tribunal.

A spokesperson for UKLFI commented: “Church House has an ethical lettings policy according to which it does not let to groups that promote racial prejudice. This ‘tribunal’ claims that it ‘will establish the full scale of our government’s complicity in the genocide against the Palestinian people’.

“The organisers have also publicised the participation of the UN special rapporteur, Francesca Albanese, whose remarks have been criticised as anti-Semitic by many different governments.

“It appears that they will promote racial prejudice and that Church House should cancel the letting in accordance with its policy.”