Vatican City: Pope Francis, in a rare critique of Israeli policies, condemned the “arrogance of invaders” in Palestine during remarks in the Vatican on Monday. This comes a week after his unprecedented acknowledgment of accusations of “genocide” in Gaza.
According to Jordan News Agency, the Pope was speaking on the 40th anniversary of the peace treaty between Chile and Argentina when he referred to the “current armed conflicts” and the “immense suffering” they inflict.
In an unscripted comment, he mentioned “two failures of humanity today: Ukraine and Palestine, where suffering is immense, and where the arrogance of occupiers undermines dialogue.”
The Pope also criticized the arms trade, denouncing the “hypocrisy of speaking about peace while waging wars.” Addressing diplomats and religious representatives, he emphasized, “Dialogue must be at the heart of the international community.”
In late September, Pope Francis criticized the “immoral” use of force in Lebanon and Gaza, indirectly urging Israel to exe
rcise restraint. However, this marks the first time the Pope has explicitly denounced Israeli policies in the Palestinian territories.