Pope’s “Genocide” Remarks Undermine Peace In Gaza

For months, Pope Francis has rhetorically walked a fine line regarding the Israel-Hamas War, using platitudes, abstracts, and metaphors to convey his concerns. But this period of nonalignment may be over. In a new book, Pope Francis has stirred controversy by calling for an investigation to determine if Israel’s military response in Gaza amounts to “genocide.” Predictably, the Pope nuanced these remarks, saying, “According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide.” He stops just short saying that he himself believes it to be genocide, but his intended message is as clear as it is abhorrently wrong. Placing a question mark at the end of a controversial statement does not absolve one of the implications that statement carries with it.