Israeli rabbis criticized the Pope for his anti-war stance

Religious leaders in Israel have strongly criticized Pope Leo XIV, saying his calls for peace and an end to violence ignore the state’s right to self-defense. According to the rabbis, the pontiff’s rhetoric blurs moral distinctions between the aggressor and the defending party, which is unacceptable in the current conflict.

According to Israel Hayom, Eliezer Simchi Weiss, a member of the Chief Rabbinate Council, sent a letter expressing concern over the statements of the head of the Catholic Church. Weiss emphasized that the Pope’s statement that “God does not hear the prayers of those who wage war” casts Israel’s defensive actions in a negative light. He said the lessons of the Holocaust require clear opposition to ideologies of annihilation, and generalized calls for the renunciation of force could be interpreted as a demand for surrender in a “religious war.”

Tzfat Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu joined the protest and spoke out even more radically. He recalled the dark pages of the history of relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, mentioning the Inquisition and the Crusades. “Don’t preach morality to us – try to atone for the guilt of your predecessors,” the publication quoted Eliyahu as saying, adding that Israel does not need external approval from the Vatican to defend its existence.

The official Vatican, represented by Archbishop Flavio Pace, responded to the criticism diplomatically, without commenting on Weiss’ specific accusations. The ministry preferred to recall the 40th anniversary of John Paul II’s historic visit to Rome’s Great Synagogue, expressing confidence that interreligious dialog will continue to develop despite the emerging problems. It should be noted that earlier anti-war statements of the Pope received approval from the authorities of Iran, praising the pontiff for criticizing the actions of Israel and the United States.

Recall, earlier US President Donald Trump made a harsh statement against Pope Leo XIV, calling him “absolutely incompetent in matters of foreign policy”. The reason for criticism were the statements of the pontiff regarding the war with Iran and American foreign policy in general.