In his new book, Hope Never Disappoints, released in Italian in November 2024, Pope Francis echoes fears that have been expressed throughout the world, especially in the Global South but also on the streets and university campuses of the big cities of North America and Europe. He writes: “According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide. It should be carefully investigated to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies.”
South Africa introduced a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice on this question in December 2023. Shortly after the publication of the pope’s words, the International Criminal Court issued warrants for the arrests of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, as well as Muhammad Deif, a leading Hamas militant, all accused of crimes against humanity.
What motivates the pope in his stand on the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian war? And why are some Jewish partners in dialogue expressing misgivings about the pope’s words?
Throughout the past year, the pope has shown his commitment to living the Gospel, working for justice and promoting the social teaching of the church, which finds its models in contemporary prophetic figures like Óscar Romero and Pedro Arrupe. He condemned the attacks by Palestinian militants on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, leading to the death of about 1,200 and the taking of about 250 hostages. Although constantly calling for the hostages’ release, he was also among the first to challenge the Israeli military response, increasingly disproportionate, that left tens of thousands of dead. Throughout the months since then, the pope has incessantly pointed out that war is a defeat for everyone, insisting that whereas self-defense is legitimate, wars in our modern age are inevitably unjust, wreaking indiscriminate death and horrific destruction.
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David Neuhaus, S.J., teaches Scripture in Israel and Palestine. He has been a long-term member of the Holy Land Catholic Church’s Justice and Peace Commission. Born in South Africa during the apartheid era, he has lived most of his life in Israel and is an Israeli citizen.
With thanks to America and David Neuhaus, S.J., where this article originally appeared.
