Jews And Catholics, Pope Francis And Gaza — A Legacy Of Moral Clarity

-Analysis- 

ROME — When diplomatic relations were officially established between Israel and the Vatican in 1993, Jewish-Christian dialogue not only intensified but grew stronger. This was a dialogue with deep roots, one that had already gained momentum during the time of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, spurred by the relationships forged between the Catholic Church and the Jewish world — and by reflection in the wake of the Holocaust, an atrocity to which the Church under Pius XII had turned a deaf ear during World War II.

It was only with the arrival of John XXIII in 1958 that things began to shift. In the decades that followed, the dialogue expanded significantly, though the road to formal diplomatic recognition of Israel remained long and fraught, shaped not only by theological considerations but also by contentious issues like the religious status of Jerusalem and the financial aspects of the agreement.

It is perhaps no surprise, then, that recognition came only much later, in the hopeful atmosphere created by the 1993 Oslo Accords between Israelis and Palestinians. From that point on, interfaith dialogue and diplomatic relations between the Vatican and Israel moved forward in step.

This harmony was marked by key moments, such as Pope John Paul II’s historic visit to the Great Synagogue of Rome in 1986, years before formal recognition, followed by subsequent synagogue visits of Benedict XVI in 2010 and Francis in 2016. Numerous exchanges between the Church and Rome’s Chief Rabbi, Riccardo Di Segni, along with many joint initiatives in study and prayer, further underscored this ongoing relationship.

The link between political developments in the Middle East and the theological and cultural exchange between Judaism and Christianity has always remained tight. So tight, in fact, that it has put the progress of dialogue under strain in the past two years.

The ‘genocide’ question

Pope Francis has spoken out several times about events in Palestine: he met with relatives of hostages, strongly condemned the horrific violence of October 7, but also spoke out, forcefully and repeatedly, against the mass killing of Palestinians carried out in recent months by the Israeli government.

One statement in particular sparked widespread debate. It followed the accusation that Israel was committing genocide: an accusation the Pope did not endorse outright, but which he said deserved serious discussion and deeper examination.

Any critique of Israeli policy by the Church is seen as a resurrection of long-discredited anti-Semitic tropes.

Why, after all, should the spiritual leader of Christianity not call for more thoughtful reflection on such a grave matter — especially at a time when the charge was fueling allegations of anti-Semitism and leaving Israel increasingly isolated? And on what basis should we believe that even harsh criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government ought to bring Jewish-Christian dialogue to a halt?

Veiled accusation

This crisis, affecting a dialogue that has long focused on the religious and cultural relationship between the two faiths, not just on politics, seems to reflect a deeper problem: a tendency to equate anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism so completely that any critique of Israeli policy by the Church is seen as a resurrection of long-discredited anti-Semitic tropes.

The result has been a veiled accusation of anti-Semitism hanging over the debate, skewing its terms. In recent months, even from his hospital bed, the Pope has spoken daily with Christians in Gaza and made it a point to denounce the slaughter now unfolding there.

His commitment has been strong, perhaps even unprecedented, in response to a situation that is itself without precedent. There was not a trace of anti-Semitism in this. On the contrary, it is the mark of a moral responsibility that rises to meet the scale of the catastrophe we are currently witnessing.