ROME (Reuters) – Pope Francis has suggested the international community study whether Israel’s military campaign in Gaza constitutes genocide against the Palestinian people, criticizing Israel’s conduct in its year-long war. made the most outspoken criticism of the process yet.
In excerpts from a new forthcoming book published on Sunday, the Pope said some international experts say “what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of genocide”.
“We must investigate carefully to see if it fits the technical definition (of genocide) formulated by international jurists and organizations,” the Pope said in quotes published by Italian daily La Stampa. “.
Israel has denied all allegations of genocide. The Israeli Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the pope’s remarks.
Last December, South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice for alleged violations of the Genocide Convention. In January, the court’s judges ordered Israel to ensure that its military does not carry out any acts of genocide. The court has not yet ruled on the basis of the case whether genocide took place in Gaza.
Francis, the leader of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church, is generally careful not to take sides in international conflicts, and to play down tensions. But he has recently stepped up his criticism of Israel’s conduct in the war against Hamas.
In September, he condemned the killing of Palestinian children in Israeli attacks in Gaza. He strongly criticized Israel’s airstrikes in Lebanon, calling them “beyond morality”.
Francis has not previously described the situation in Gaza as genocide in public. But last year he was at the center of a nasty controversy after a meeting with a group of Palestinians at the Vatican, who insisted he had used the word privately with them, while the Vatican said he had not. did not do so.
The Vatican has not commented on Francis’ recent remarks, but its news website reported on Sunday about passages from the book, including comments on genocide.
Last week, Francis met at the Vatican with a delegation of former hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, who are advocating for the release of family members and others still held captive.
