A senior Catholic cleric has strongly condemned the possibility of moving the UK embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, saying it would be "seriously damaging to any possibility of lasting peace in the region".

In a letter to Prime Minister Liz Truss on Thursday, Cardinal Vincent Nichols - Archbishop of Westminster and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales - cited the Vatican's position that the city "must be shared as a common patrimony, never becoming an exclusive monopoly of any party".

A spokesperson for the Archbishop of Canterbury - principal leader of the Church of England - also released a statement on the matter on Friday, saying Justin Welby was "concerned about the potential impact" of the move.

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Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby

In a thread on Twitter on Thursday, Cardinal Nichols said: "I have written to the Prime Minister to express profound concern over her call for a review of the location of the British Embassy to the State of Israel, with the suggestion that it might be moved away from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"Such a relocation of the UK Embassy would be seriously damaging to any possibility of lasting peace in the region and to the international reputation of the United Kingdom.

"Pope Francis and the leaders of churches in the Holy Land have long called for the international Status Quo on Jerusalem to be upheld, in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions. The city must be shared as a common patrimony, never becoming an exclusive monopoly of any party.

"I can see no valid reason why a move needs now to be considered. I ask the Prime Minister earnestly to reconsider the intention she has expressed and to focus all efforts on seeking a two-state solution, in which Jerusalem would have a guaranteed special status."

Such a relocation of the UK Embassy would be seriously damaging to any possibility of lasting peace in the region and to the international reputation of the United Kingdom.

— Cardinal Nichols (@CardinalNichols) October 6, 2022

In a statement on Friday, a spokesperson for Archbishop Justin Welby added: "The Archbishop is concerned about the potential impact of moving the British Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem before a negotiated settlement between Palestinians and Israelis has been reached. He is in touch with Christian leaders in the Holy Land and continues to pray for the peace of Jerusalem."

These interventions follow Liz Truss's pledge during the Tory leadership election to review the location of the embassy if she took office.

The prime minister also appeared at the at the Conservative Friends of Israel (CFoI) event at the party conference last weekend where she declared herself a “huge Zionist and huge supporter of Israel”.

The Conservative Party chairman, Jake Berry, also pledged to support the Jewish state “in its fight to ensure that it remains safe and that the capital in Jerusalem is the home to our new Embassy.”

However, some in the British Jewish community have also reportedly expressed concerns about moving the embassy to Jerusalem after the president of the Board of Deputies president backed the move at the CFoI fringe meeting last weekend.

@IsraelBritain has respect for all clergy but interventions like this from @CardinalNichols reveal a fundamental political naivety. Sovereign states naming their own capital is normal. When did normal become a bad idea? https://t.co/adlfYj93W9

— Israel Britain 🇮🇱🇬🇧 (@IsraelBritain) October 7, 2022

Reacting to the Archbishop of Westminster's statement on Twitter, the US-based group 'Stop Antisemitism' wrote: "The Catholic Church did enough during WW2. Your input and opinions are not needed - today or EVER. Perhaps you can instead spend your time giving back the countless Jewish artifacts [sic] stolen from Jewish families during the Holocaust that you refuse to give back."

The Israel-Britain Alliance group also condemned the statement, saying it "has respect for all clergy", but that this interventions shows "a fundamental political naivety".

It added: "Sovereign states naming their own capital is normal. When did normal become a bad idea?"

Meanwhile, Arsen Ostrovsky - an international human rights lawyer - raised the beliefs of the Catholic Church in reply to Cardinal Nichols, writing: "Dear Cardinal, I suggest you read over scriptures, what they say about Jerusalem. You might then care to reconsider your opinion."