Two Jesuits and Israel: Robert Drinan and Daniel Berrigan

It is beyond the scope of this article to go through the entire history of the Arab-Israeli conflict, Just War Theory, and left-wing anti-Zionism. However, examining two of America’s most famous Jesuits provides a framework for analyzing the conflict: Fr. Daniel Berrigan, and Fr. Robert Drinan. Separated by one year at Weston University, they became two of the most iconic opponents of the Vietnam War and the Nixon Administration; Berrigan through protests and other forms of direct action and Drinan as a member of Congress. Yet the two would significantly differ on Israel; while Drinan was an unconditional supporter of the Jewish state, Berrigan was resolutely anti-Zionist.