Papal deputy’s Israeli condemnation over Gaza “genocide” lost in translation or an attempt to placate the Vatican?
The Vatican’s condemnation of the Israeli military’s “disproportionate” response in Gaza sparked a new dispute with Tel Aviv. The Vatican’s Secretary of State cited 30,000 deaths in Gaza, rejecting the Israeli military’s justification of “self-defense” behind the attack. Parolin, “outraged” by the Israeli military’s “massacre” in Gaza, openly criticized Israel for its military actions. Israel’s embassy to the Holy See criticized Parolin’s “reprehensible announcement” and accused Hamas of turning Gaza into “the biggest terrorist base ever”. However, Israel later toned down its criticism of the Vatican, saying the papal deputy’s comments were “regrettable” rather than “reprehensible”.