Jerusalem Patriarch Pizzaballa warns against false neutrality

Jerusalem/Munich - Christians are often caught between the fronts in the Middle East conflict. The Church sees its role as primarily humanitarian. However, it is difficult to help because each party has a "monopoly on suffering", says the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Published on 26.07.2024 at 13:28 –

According to Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, a misconceived neutrality of the Church in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a solution. "Come with me to Gaza, talk to my people who have lost everything, and then tell me to remain neutral!" said the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem during a visit to the Holy Land by a delegation from the Catholic aid organisation "Aid to the Church in Need" on Friday. "Aid to the Church in Need" finances several aid projects there.

At the same time, Pizzaballa warned against the Church being co-opted in the Gaza war. It must not become part of the political or military conflict. The church's task is to bring people together and help. This is made more difficult by the fact that each party to the conflict has a "monopoly on suffering" and the situation is polarised.

The church leader sees a need not only for humanitarian aid, but also for pastoral care. According to the Italian Franciscan, the situation in the Gaza Strip and also in the Israeli-occupied West Bank is dramatic. Due to the instability, it often takes weeks for aid to reach the people in Gaza. In the West Bank, the unemployment rate has risen to 78 per cent as a result of the collapse in tourism caused by the war and the Israeli withdrawal of entry permits for Palestinian workers. This is "the highest rate in history". (KNA)