Wall Street Journal criticizes Pope’s Gaza genocide comments
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The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board has criticized Pope Francis harshly for his stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict, specifically regarding his recent comments suggesting possible genocide in Gaza.
In a newly published book interview titled “Hope Never Disappoints: Pilgrims Towards a Better World,” the pontiff advocated for international experts to examine whether Israel’s military actions in Gaza could qualify as genocide.
By his use of the word “genocide,” Pope Francis has not moved Gaza any closer to peace. All he has done is give aid and comfort to the enemies of the Jewish people and all civilized society.https://t.co/mcFeZfKF7r
— Wall Street Journal Opinion (@WSJopinion) November 20, 2024
“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” the pontiff stated in the book, which was released last Sunday.
The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board responded strongly to these remarks, expressing concern about a religious leader accusing Jewish people of genocide, particularly given their own historical experience as victims of such atrocities.
The Israeli Embassy to the Holy See quickly responded to the Pope’s comments, issuing a statement that emphasized Israel’s right to self-defense and rejected any genocide comparisons.
Adding her voice to the discourse, Holocaust survivor Edith Bruck challenged the Pope’s characterization in an interview with La Repubblica. “Genocide is something else. When a million children are burned to death, then you can talk about genocide,” she stated.
The 93-year-old survivor of multiple concentration camps emphasized that while Gaza’s situation is tragic, it differs fundamentally from genocide. She pointed out that Hamas, not Israel, has explicitly stated its intention to eliminate all Jews worldwide.
WOW!
Harsh words from Pope Francis on Israel's bombing of Gaza:
"This is not war. This is terrorism."
Israel and Biden have completely lost the moral argument globally. pic.twitter.com/ZbqLToQs8v
— Trita Parsi (@tparsi) November 30, 2023
Bruck went on to cite historical examples of actual genocides, including the Armenian genocide and the Holocaust, warning against diluting the term’s significance through misuse.
The WSJ editorial concluded that the Pope’s genocide comments have undermined peace efforts and provided support to those opposing both Jewish people and civilized society.
