Rome’s Chief Rabbi Criticizes Pope Francis for Selective Focus on Israel’s Gaza Campaign

Rome’s Chief Rabbi, Riccardo Di Segni, has voiced strong criticism of Pope Francis over the pontiff’s recent remarks regarding Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Speaking at an annual Catholic-Jewish dialogue event, Di Segni expressed dismay that the Pope’s criticism seemed overly focused on Israel, while neglecting other global conflicts such as those in Sudan, Yemen, Syria, and Ethiopia.

Di Segni stated that Pope Francis’ “selective indignation” diminishes his moral authority, asserting that a pope must speak out about the suffering of all people, not just those involved in specific conflicts. The Rabbi argued that the Pope should not create a divide between nations or groups, labeling some as deserving of more attention than others.

Pope Francis has been increasingly vocal in condemning Israel’s military actions against Hamas in Gaza. Just days prior to the event, he described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “very serious and shameful,” which further fueled the tension. A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was announced shortly before the dialogue event, with the agreement set to take effect in the coming days.

While relations between the Catholic Church and Judaism have improved significantly in recent decades, Di Segni’s comments at this year’s World Day of Catholic-Jewish Dialogue event marked a rare moment of public discord between the two communities. The event, held at a Catholic university in Rome, was intended to foster understanding and dialogue between Catholics and Jews. However, Rev. Marco Gnavi, one of the event’s organizers, expressed his discomfort at the strong language used by Rabbi Di Segni. Despite the tension, the event highlighted the importance of ongoing interfaith dialogue.