Vatican cardinal escalates criticism of Israel, denounces “tyrant” Netanyahu

07/31/2025 / By Ramon Tomey

Cardinal Augusto Paolo Lojudice, a senior Vatican official, criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “tyrant” pursuing a “bloody plan,” comparing Israel’s actions in Gaza to Nazi atrocities and emphasizing the killing of innocent civilians.
The Holy See condemned a July 17 Israeli military strike on Gaza’s Holy Family Church that killed three civilians and injured others, including a priest. Pope Leo XIV demanded an immediate end to the “barbarity,” with senior cardinals rejecting Israel’s claim of an accidental attack.
The Vatican’s unusually harsh criticism signals a breakdown in relations with Israel, departing from its historically cautious diplomatic stance on Middle East conflicts. The Gaza offensive’s high civilian toll (over 300,000 dead, including 132,000 children) has challenged Vatican neutrality.
UN Rapporteur Francesca Albanese and others accuse Israel of genocide, citing deliberate starvation and displacement. Western nations, including the U.S., face backlash for continued military support, with figures like Jeremy Corbyn calling it “complicity in mass murder.”
The war threatens Gaza’s dwindling Christian population, prompting the Vatican to escalate its calls for peace and humanitarian action. Pope Leo’s appeal reflects a broader moral stance against violence and silence in the face of atrocities.

A senior Vatican cardinal has escalated his criticism of Israel and its military actions against the Palestinian people in Gaza, reserving the strongest words for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In a July 21 interview with the Italian newspaper La Stampa, Cardinal Augusto Paolo Lojudice accused Netanyahu of being “a tyrant pursuing a dark and bloody plan for power.” The 61-year-old cardinal who serves on the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the Vatican’s supreme court, compared Tel Aviv’s actions to those of the Nazis.

“In Gaza we are beyond madness; the most unbridled and illogical evil is at work. The killing of children queuing for a handful of rice cries out for justice to God,” Lojudice told the paper. “The slaughter of innocents cries out to heaven for vengeance. We can no longer hold back from denouncing it. If the tyrant isn’t stopped, there’s no escape.”

The cardinal’s remarks follow the Holy See’s condemnation of Israeli military actions in Gaza, most notably after a strike by the Israel Defense Forces that hit the Holy Family Church in the Strip. The July 17 incident killed three civilians and injured several, including the parish priest. Following the deadly strike, Pope Leo XIV called for an “immediate halt to the barbarity.” (Related: Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza struck amid conflict, raising concerns for civilians and Christian minority.)

Senior cardinals doubted Tel Aviv’s explanation that the strike was merely accidental. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin openly questioned Israel’s explanation during an interview with Italian TV channel Rai 2, urging transparency in its investigation.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, also expressed doubt toward Israel’s claim that the attack was a “mistake.” He told the Corriere della Sera newspaper that “everyone here does not believe that is the case.”

The silence is broken: Vatican’s harshest rebuke yet against Israel

Lojudice remarks, among the Vatican’s harshest yet, signal a deepening rift between the Catholic Church and Tel Aviv. Historically, the Holy See has maintained diplomatic caution on Middle East conflicts, advocating for peace while recognizing both Israeli and Palestinian statehood.

But the ongoing Gaza genocide – with over 300,000 estimated dead, including 132,000 children – has tested that neutrality. United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has repeatedly accused Israel of genocide, citing deliberate starvation and mass displacement as evidence.

British lawmaker Jeremy Corbyn echoed global outrage, tweeting that nations arming Israel are “complicit in mass murder.” Yet Western leaders, including the U.S., continue military support. The pontiff’s plea for humanitarian law enforcement highlights the growing moral urgency as Gaza’s Christian community – already dwindling before the war – faces extermination.

For the Vatican, the church attack may be a tipping point. Pope Leo’s call to “leave behind all violence and hatred” now carries the weight of a church no longer willing to stay silent.

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Watch this video about the genocide in Gaza through the eyes of laughing Israeli soldiers.

This video is from the Truth John 14:6 channel on Brighteon.com.