11/25/2024–|Last updated: 11/25/202411:50 PM (Mecca time)
Pope Francesco condemned on Monday – in a rare and remarkable stance – what he described as the “arrogance of the occupier” in Palestine and Ukraine, expressing his deep concern about the human suffering caused by the wars in these two countries.
The Pope’s statements came during a speech he delivered at the Vatican on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the peace treaty between Chile and Argentina, where he described the current conflicts as “major failures for humanity.”
He added offhandedly during his speech: “I simply mention two failures of humanity today: Ukraine and Palestine, where suffering is great and where the arrogance of the occupier undermines dialogue.”
In a sharp criticism of the arms trade, the Pope described talk of peace amid continuing wars as “hypocrisy,” calling for placing dialogue at the heart of international relations. He stressed to the diplomats and representatives of religions present that peace must be based on justice and fairness.
This is the most frank statement by the Pope regarding Israeli policies in the Palestinian territories. Although the Holy See has recognized the State of Palestine since 2013 and supports the two-state solution, this statement represents the first such clear public condemnation of Israeli policies.
These statements came one week after he published a new book entitled “Hope Never Fails: Pilgrims to a Better World,” in which he called for studying the situation in Gaza to determine whether… what It fell under the definition of genocide, which Israel vehemently rejected.
Calls for peace
Pope Francesco constantly announced that he was praying for civilians in Gaza and Ukraine, pointing out the suffering they experience daily. It also recently received 16 An Israeli prisoner released in a prisoner exchange deal last year.
The Pope previously criticized the use of excessive force in Gaza and Lebanon, and called for restraint, but he had not previously reached the level of his recent statements in which he accused the occupier of “arrogance” that undermines the chances of peaceful solutions.
The Pope’s recent statements put the Vatican at the heart of the international debate about the genocidal war waged by Israel on Gaza, with an explicit call for dialogue as the only solution to peace in light of this humanitarian crisis.
