Pope Francis has doubled down on calling out Israel’s “cruelty” in Gaza after he was criticized by the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
Pope Francis first made the comments on Saturday when he said Israel prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from entering Gaza. “Yesterday, they did not allow the Patriarch into Gaza as promised. Yesterday, children were bombed. This is cruelty, this is not war,” he said.
The pope was referring to Israeli airstrikes on Friday that hit a home in Jabalia, killing seven children from the same family. “I want to say it because it touches my heart,” he said.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded by saying, “The Pope’s remarks are particularly disappointing as they are disconnected from the true and factual context of Israel’s fight against jihadist terrorism — a multi-front war that was forced upon it starting on October 7.”
The ministry added, “The blame should be directed solely at the terrorists, not at the democracy defending itself against them. Enough with the double standards and the singling out of the Jewish state and its people.”
Pope Francis was not deterred by the statement and offered more sympathy for the plight of the Palestinians in Gaza on Sunday. “And with pain, I think of Gaza, of so much cruelty, of the children being machine-gunned, of the bombings of schools and hospitals. What cruelty,” he said after his weekly Angelus prayer.
Also on Sunday, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, was able to enter Gaza, bringing attention to the enclave’s small Christian minority. He led Mass at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City and visited the nearby Saint Porphyrius Orthodox Church.
Both Christian churches have come under Israeli attack. In October 2023, Israeli strikes killed 18 Palestinian civilians who were sheltering at St. Porphyrius, including relatives of former US congressman Justin Amash. In July 2024, Israeli shelling hit a building in the compound of St. Porphyrius, causing minor damage and wounding three.
The Holy Family Catholic Church was under siege in December 2023, and two women were shot and killed by IDF snipers. Seven others who were trying to help the women were wounded. At the time, Pope Francis denounced the attack as “terrorism.”
Pope Francis has also called for an investigation into whether or not Israel is committing genocide. “According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” he said in a new book. “We should investigate carefully to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies.”
The pope has consistently called for peace in Gaza and other conflict zones around the world. On Sunday, he wrote on X, “Let us pray so that at Christmas there may be a ceasefire on all war fronts, in Ukraine, in the Holy Land, throughout the Middle East and the entire world. May weapons be silenced and Christmas carols resound!”
For once I agree with the commie Pope.
Me too!
Christ's followers were the poor and helpless … the Pope is finally restoring the church (somewhat) to that original tradition …
I'll believe that when the Vatican Bank is opened and the money flows where J.C. would like it to, as per his instructions. 32 Bible Verses about Giving To The Poor
Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Giving-To-The-Poor
Commie pope.
You're a jackass fascist Brian,
Hitler used the RCC organization to form his own version of Fascism. Hitler/pope, Gauleiters/Cardinals; SS/Jesuits (note black garb). Black Pope/Himmler. After all, the founders of the party were Bavarian Catholics, and Hitler was raised Catholic in Austria. Note eagle/dove; flag/cross; Hitler/German messiah.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1ca7bc46fd3afaf038573e779833260a10c629407a0d0a34abe294d85115bd7e.png
Just heard that the Vatican has been added to Wesley Clark's list of countries.
There's oil under the Vatican? I didn't know!
LOL
The pope saying this means nothing much. Many Catholics especially in America do not like this pope, unless they are Catholic politicians. Protestants and secular people don't care much what he has to say. Evangelicals can't stand him.
Evangelicals are a pack of christo-fascists.
Francis is the best pope in centuries, if not ever.
His condemnation of Israeli cruelty is righteous.
There are all kinds of evangelicals. It’s not a denomination. It’s simply any Protestant Christian group that emphasize proselytization.
The vast majority of Evangelicals are Christo-fascists
In my experience — having been brought up in that milieu — the vast majority of evangelicals are mostly apolitical except when called upon to ape some motions made by their “leaders,” said motions and aping varying by leader and congregation.
One branch of my in-laws was “that way” };-)>
I follow the old rule of not talking politics or religion at family dinner.
If people want to grouse in the den after dinner, I’ll hang elsewhere..
We got along just fine.
Evangelical=Christian Zionist
evangelical /ē″văn-jĕl′ĭ-kəl, ĕv″ən-/
adjective
Of, relating to, or in accordance with the Christian gospel, especially one of the four gospel books of the New Testament. Of, relating to, or being a Christian church believing in the Bible as the sole source of religious authority, in salvation only through conversion and spiritual regeneration, and in the necessity of public witness to faith. Of or relating to the Lutheran churches in Germany and Switzerland. (pretty broad definition.)
How tedious.
Many words have many meanings.
A case can be made that the Christo-fascists have appropriated the term.
The plural usage is a more recent variant, as in “Evangelicals supported Trump by a wide margin” and “The Evangelicals oppose abortion.”
The ministry added, “The blame should be directed solely at the terrorists…"
It was. Israel. The king of terrorists*.
*per capita. The US is #1 in volume.
“The Israeli Foreign Ministry slammed the Pope for expressing sympathy for Palestinian children.“
Now the genocidal Netanyahu Israeli government goes against the Pope because he dares to tell the truth.
In fact, the genocidal Netanyahu Israeli government is a government of terrorists.
"The Pope’s remarks are particularly disappointing as they are disconnected from the true and factual context of Israel’s fight against jihadist terrorism"
True & factual has no connection to Zionist war propaganda.
Francis is the best pope in my lifetime.
"Francis is the best pope in my lifetime." You must be very young?
Which was better?
Biden is a practicing Catholic, I expected the pope to call Biden out on his being a Christian, who has the power to stop, at least reduce the brutal slaughter of women and children in schools, hospitals, and tent shelters, not even real and solid shelter.
The RCC is going down the slippery slope that the mainline Protestant churches have for decades, trying to be all things to all people and forgetting the words of J.C. saying, 'I am the way, the truth and the life, nobody comes to the Father but by me.' Christendom in its present state is apostatizing very quickly as other institutions holding societies together crumble. The current pope has committed many heresies according to other factions in the Church and the Vatican. The most glaring example was his blessing of a pagan idol of Pachamama statue in Vatican Gardens. The pattern in both the OT and NT is that the God of the Bible destroys the apostate organization and forms a new one, as Jesus said, '. . .can't put new wine in old wine skins. The majority of evangelical denominations are celebrating the slaughter in Gaza believing it is some precursor to the return of J.C., and don't remember his words that He will return when nobody expects it. Here's some links for those not familiar with the controversy over Pope Francis. (Duck is a search engine like Google). https://duckduckgo.com/?t=lm&q=pope+francis+heresies&ia=web
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=lm&q=pope+francis+pagan+idol&ia=web
The Lutheran Church is called 'the Evangelical Lutheran Church.' That word 'evangelical' is a misnomer defined by the press like 'fundamentalist' a few years. As most people know the current MSM is quite opposed to Christianity in all forms, wonder why??
" That word 'evangelical' is a misnomer defined by the press"
It's one of the names they call themselves.
See altso, "born again" and "fundementalist."
"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." –J.C. (John 3:3) And, 'fundamentalist' implies the fundamentals of Christianity which are the teachings of J.C., would it not? Language is important and the MSM frequently likes to redefine axioms for political or it's own reasons.
Fundamentalism is generally understood as a belief in the literal truth of both Testaments.
"The Israeli Foreign Ministry slammed the Pope for expressing sympathy for Palestinian children"
Saw this great interview w/Melanie Schweitzer, a German lawyer/govt official activist yesterday, mainly about how she was attacked for supporting Gaza – which mentioned a recent poll re 'primary sympathies' in Germany.
About 15% sympathized mainly w/Israel, same for Gaza – with a large number, in the 40's, 'undecided.
It is to be hoped that the optics here – in this article – will move some of the many seemingly on the sidelines to 'just say no' to enabling Israel…
…that is, that Israel's vicious snarling – at the least display of sympathy for Gazan suffering – will be self-isolating – will alienate and revolt some people with enough decency to instinctively sympathize at the horrifying punishment of Gazan innocents…
…(though otoh, how the f' it hasn't shifted more, already, is a prob).
https://www.youtube.com/@DiEM25official