"In the process of salvation by co-operating with grace through faith in Jesus Christ, as sustained

"In the process of salvation by co-operating with grace through faith in Jesus Christ, as sustained by the sacraments and by works of love, because faith without works is dead."

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

A Catholic Perspective on the Israel–Palestine Conflict

 



Children of Abraham, Land of Tears

A Catholic Perspective on the Israel–Palestine Conflict

By Chris M. Forte

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”
— Matthew 5:9

___________________________________________

 

I. Prologue: The Holy Land and the Holy War

There is a strip of land on the Mediterranean coast called many things: Canaan, Judea, Israel, Palestine—the Holy Land.

For Jews, it is the land of promise.
For Muslims, the land of the Prophet’s ascension.
For Christians, it is the land where God became flesh.

And yet today, it is a land of blood.
The Israel–Palestine conflict is not just a political standoff—it is a spiritual and humanitarian tragedy. This exposé explores the historical, theological, and moral dimensions of this crisis from a Catholic perspective.

II. The Children of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael

“God heard the cry of the boy.” — Genesis 21:17

The conflict between Jews and Arabs is often traced—allegorically and historically—to the sons of Abraham:

  • Isaac, through whom Jews trace their lineage,

  • Ishmael, traditionally considered the forefather of the Arabs.

Though separated by blood and story, both are children of promise.

The Catholic Church affirms that both Jews and Muslims worship the one Creator:

“The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place among whom are the Muslims.”
— Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) §841

But only in Christ Jesus is the fullness of the covenant revealed, uniting Jew and Gentile, Isaac and Ishmael, into the New Israel—the Church.

III. From Rome to Jerusalem: Christianity’s Deep Roots

After Christ’s Resurrection, the Church took root in Jerusalem but was scattered following Roman persecution. Christianity spread to Antioch, then to Rome, evolving into a universal Church, no longer bound by land or ethnic bloodlines.

And yet, Christians never left the Holy Land.
To this day, Catholics of the Latin, Melkite, Maronite, and Armenian rites live and worship where Christ once walked.

But now, their future is in peril.

IV. The Zionist Movement and the Founding of Israel

After the Holocaust, the international community backed the idea of a Jewish homeland. In 1947, the UN proposed a partition of Palestine, with Jerusalem under international governance.

Israel declared statehood in 1948. War erupted.
Palestinians were expelled or fled—700,000 in total. Christians among them.

The Nakba (“catastrophe”) remains a bitter memory for Palestinians, including Palestinian Christians.

“Peace requires justice. Justice requires truth. Truth demands memory.”

V. The Church’s Teaching: Not Partisanship—But Prophecy

The Vatican recognizes both Israel and Palestine, and calls for:

  • A negotiated two-state solution,

  • Full access to holy sites,

  • The end of occupation and violence on both sides.

The Church does not support violence—whether from Hamas or the IDF. It supports human dignity and the presence of Christians in their homeland.

“No one is saved alone, as an isolated individual. Rather... we are saved together.”
— Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti

VI. Dispensationalism: A Protestant Error

Many American Evangelicals support Israel due to dispensationalist eschatology:

  • The belief that Israel is the fulfillment of prophecy,

  • That the Third Temple must be rebuilt,

  • That Christ will return after Jewish suffering in the End Times.

This view is rejected by the Catholic Church.
The Church teaches:

  • Christ is the New Temple (John 2:19),

  • The Church is the New Israel (Galatians 6:16),

  • All prophecy is fulfilled in Christ.

“The old covenant has been fulfilled in the New Covenant.”
— CCC §121–123

Dispensationalism politicizes theology and reduces salvation history to land ownership—a far cry from the universal Kingdom of God.

VII. The Suffering of Palestinian Christians

Today, Palestinian Christians are vanishing.
In Gaza, there are fewer than 1,000 left.
The Holy Family Catholic Church was bombed in 2025, killing worshippers.
The Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius was also bombed.
In the West Bank, Christian towns face attacks from Jewish settlers with near-total impunity.

“We are forgotten by the world, and sometimes even by the Church.”
— Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, Holy Family Church, Gaza

Though targeted by no one and protected by no one, these Christians endure with faith and charity. Their schools educate Muslims and Christians alike. Their hospitals heal all.

VIII. Final Word: The Cross, Not the Flag

As a Catholic, I believe:

  • Israel is a nation, not a theological symbol.

  • It is important as the land of the Incarnation, but its government must be held to moral scrutiny like any other.

  • Criticizing a government is not antisemitism.

  • When Jewish settlers burn churches, and the State does nothing, that silence is complicity.

Our loyalty is not to nationalism, but to Christ crucified.
We must speak truth even when it is unpopular.
We must remember that Christians are dying where Christianity began.

Appendix: Sources and Resources

  1. Catechism of the Catholic Church §121–123, §841, §877 – Vatican.va

  2. Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti – Vatican.va

  3. Church Bombings in Gaza (2025) – AP News

  4. History of Dispensationalism – Catholic Answers

  5. UN Partition Plan (1947) – UN Archives

  6. Holy Family Church, Gaza – Wikipedia

  7. Patriarch Pizzaballa on Gaza – Reuters

  8. History of the Nakba – Al Jazeera

  9. Settlement Violence Against Christians – Times of Israel

Recent Developments: New Outcries for Humanity

Tragedy at Gaza’s Only Catholic Church

Pope Leo XIV Responds

  • In his Angelus address at Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo mourned the victims—Saad Salameh, Foumia Ayyad, Najwa Abu Daoud—calling for an immediate ceasefire, protection for worship spaces, and adherence to international law USCCB+3AP News+3Vatican News+3.

  • The Vatican reiterated: “The world can't take it anymore… protect civilians… end the barbarity of war” The Times of India+15USCCB+15AP News+15.

U.S. Reaction

  • Former President Donald Trump, reflecting widespread unease, personally pressured PM Netanyahu to explain and account for the attack Axios.

  • The Trump administration publicly expressed frustration with Israel's continued military actions in Gaza and Syria, warning of potential strains on U.S.–Israel relations The Times of India+4TIME+4The Times+4.

International and Humanitarian Crisis

  • A 32-nation Bogotá summit called Israel’s Gaza campaign a genocide and proposed halting arms supplies and raising accountability Wikipedia.

  • UN aid agencies called Gaza a “hell on earth” amid intensifying starvation; dozens—many children—have died seeking food The Scottish Sun+4Al Jazeera+4The Guardian+4.

The Plight of Palestinian Christians

Between Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and settler violence in the West Bank, Christian communities are vanishing. The recent church strike and broader military operations in Jenin, Tulkarm, and elsewhere highlight a trend: religious persecution masked as collateral damage.

Fr. Romanelli voiced the anguish of many:

“We are forgotten by the world, and sometimes even by the Church.”

 

Appendix: Sources & Further Reading

  1. AP News, “Pope Leo XIV renews call for ceasefire in Gaza” WikipediaWikipedia+3The Washington Post+3Vatican News+3Wikipedia+11Axios+11AP News+11

  2. Vatican News, “Pope appeals for end to Gaza ‘barbarity’” TIME+15Vatican News+15USCCB+15

  3. Time, “How Israel Appears to Be Gambling With Trump’s Patience” TIME

  4. The Bogotá Summit, Hague Group report The Times+5Wikipedia+5unrwa.org+5

  5. UN & Aid reports on Gaza humanitarian crisis unrwa.org+1The Guardian+1

  6. Wikipedia & Reuters: Holy Family Church bombing AP News+7Wikipedia+7Axios+7

  7. Catechism references and Pope Francis’s Fratelli Tutti Wikipedia

About the Author

Chris M. Forte is a Catholic writer, historian, and editor based in San Diego’s Little Italy. With a deep passion for theology, Church history, and global justice, he explores the intersection of faith, politics, and human dignity through a Catholic lens. Drawing on years of research and lived experience, Chris writes to give voice to the voiceless and shed light on forgotten corners of the Catholic world.


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