Israel accuses Pope Francis of ‘double standards’ after Gaza criticism
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Pope Francis greeting the Roman Curia in Vatican City on Dec 21. He said to members of the government of the Holy See of children being bombed: “This is cruelty.”
PHOTO: REUTERS
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JERUSALEM – Israel accused Pope Francis of “double standards” on Dec 21 after he condemned the bombing of children in Gaza
“The Pope’s remarks are particularly disappointing as they are disconnected from the true and factual context of Israel’s fight against jihadist terrorism – a multi-front war that was forced upon it starting on Oct 7 (2023),” an Israeli foreign ministry statement said.
“Enough with the double standards and the singling out of the Jewish state and its people.”
Gaza’s civil defence rescue agency had reported that an Israeli air strike killed 10 members of a family on Dec 20 in the northern part of the Palestinian territory, including seven children.
Pope Francis told members of the government of the Holy See: “Yesterday, they did not allow the Patriarch (of Jerusalem) into Gaza as promised. Yesterday, children were bombed. This is cruelty, this is not war.
“I want to say it because it touches my heart.”
The Israeli statement said that “cruelty is terrorists hiding behind children while trying to murder Israeli children; cruelty is holding 100 hostages for 442 days, including a baby and children, by terrorists and abusing them”, in a reference to the Palestinian Hamas militants who attacked Israel and took hostages on Oct 7, 2023
“Unfortunately, the Pope has chosen to ignore all of this,” the Israeli ministry said. AFP
