"How can the visitors on the APJN commission... hope to be taken seriously," the ITAC statement asked, "when they spend a mere eight days in the country, without proper consultation on the Israeli side, then produce a statement, implying they understand the complexities of the conflict, and making pronouncements about it?"

"The APJN statement loses credibility because it contains very inadequate references to terrorism and its effects, and no reference to the need of the Israelis to defend themselves," ITAC continued.

"Furthermore, the church should recognize that the Palestinians experience economic disaster and lack of infrastructure, partly through corruption, injustice and oppression on the part of some of their own leaders."

The ITAC statement concluded that "much of the church is predisposed, on the basis of inadequate information, to accept anti-Israel statements."

Higton, who has lived in Jerusalem with his wife since 2002, told The Jerusalem Post from London that the Anglican Church "needs to be praying for people on both sides, rather than start ladling out condemnation. We need to be more Christian about it."

He also said his church's defense of Israel was not related to converting Jews, but a response to a move by the larger Anglican community that "is undermining our relationship with the local population."

In the US as well, Episcopal Christians - the Episcopal Church is part of the "worldwide Anglican Communion" - have criticized the Anglican call for divestment from Israel approved earlier this year.

Rev. Mark Sisk, the Episcopal bishop of New York, criticized the Anglican Church last week for the divestment proposal - even though his own church, the Episcopal Church USA, supported the divestment call.

Similarly to Higton, Sisk said that such action undermined relations between the church and Jews.

END