Pope condemns increase in attacks against Jews around the world

In a letter to the Jewish community, Francisco repudiates anti-Semitism, “with a heart torn by what is happening in the Holy Land”. The Vatican's first reactions to the Israel-Hamas conflict had generated criticism. Pope Francis condemned the “terrible increase” in attacks against Jews around the world, as well as anti-Semitism and anti-Judaism since October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas carried out attacks in Israel, triggering a war in the Gaza Strip.

“We Catholics, along with you, are very concerned about the terrible increase in attacks against Jews throughout the world,” wrote the pontiff in a letter addressed to “Jewish brothers and sisters in Israel”, released by the Vatican this Saturday (03 /02). According to him, the statement is a reaction to messages from Jewish organizations around the world.

The leader of the Catholic Church emphasizes that Christians “unequivocally condemn” manifestations of hatred towards Jews and Judaism, classifying them as “a sin against God”. With a “heart torn by what is happening in the Holy Land”, he states that the whole world looks there with apprehension and pain, and expresses “special closeness and affection” towards the inhabitants of that region.

“I hug each one of you and especially those who are consumed by anguish, pain, fear and even anger.” Francis prays that “God will intervene and put an end to war and hatred” that endangers the world, and hopes that peace will prevail. Jews and Catholics in the Holy Land must work for peace and justice, doing everything possible to create relationships capable of opening new horizons, concludes the religious leader.

Observers interpret the letter as a belated gesture of conciliation, as Francis' initial reaction to the Hamas attacks on Israeli territory generated a wave of criticism of the Vatican.

27 thousand dead and 1.9 million displaced in the Palestinian enclave

The most recent conflict between Israel and Hamas was triggered by the unprecedented attack by the Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist movement in Israel, on October 7, 2023, leaving 1,140 people dead, most of them civilians, and taking more than 200 hostages, according to official figures from Tel Aviv. .

In retaliation, Israel launched a large-scale offensive in the Gaza Strip, where, according to local authorities supervised by Hamas, there have been more than 27,000 deaths, mainly women, children and teenagers. Benjamin Netanyahu's government promises to eliminate the Palestinian Islamist movement, classified as terrorist by the European Union and the United States.

According to the United Nations, the Israeli offensives have also resulted in around 1.9 million people being displaced – around 85% of the population of Gaza –, plunging the overpopulated and poor Palestinian enclave into a serious humanitarian crisis. After initial unconditional support, Tel Aviv is under increasing international pressure to end the violence.

av (Reuters, AP, Lusa)