Page 51 - October 7 - Teresa Pirola

Palestinians’.Airbrushedoutofthepictureisanyconsideration of Palestinian agency or the succession of choices made by Palestinian leaders over those years that have done nothing to help bring resolution to the conflict.
So, let’s be honest. The popular Catholic view that ‘we shouldn’t take sides’ in the Hamas-Israel war is really saying, ‘We shouldn’t take the side of Israel’. And, like it or not, that seemstotranslateto:‘Weshouldn’tsidewiththeJews’.Areader may recoil at this statement. But remember that, in Australia, it is only Jewish communities who are being subjected to a 738% increase in hate incidents while Catholic leaders maintain a public silence. Five weeks after the Hamas atrocities of October 7, a statement by Archbishop Peter Comensoli drew attention to this alarming rise in antisemitism, providing clear guidance to the clergy and people of Melbourne’s Catholic community. However, to date, few Catholic leaders are speaking up.
The hypocrisy of Catholic silence in the face of rampant antisemitism comes into clear view when one recalls the church’s historical track record of contemptuous attitudes towards and persecution of Jews, as well as the culpable silence of so many Christians during the Holocaust. At Vatican II, our bishops faced up to this dark history. They did so with a moral courage that spoke to the strength of the church in its capacity for repentance and renewal. In this light, Catholics have a compelling reason to speak up when antisemitism erupts around the world following the largest mass murder of Jews in a single day since the Holocaust. Instead, as Israel defends its very existence, with Iran-backed threats on multiple borders of its tiny country, we are told, ‘War is always a defeat’.
When coalition forces fought back against ISIS in Mosul, there was a shocking civilian death toll. Terrible civilian casualties were incurred in defeating the deadly reign of Al
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