Vatican Cardinal condemns Israel’s actions in Gaza as “ongoing massacre”
Vatican City: The Vatican’s top diplomat, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, has strongly criticised Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, describing it as an “ongoing massacre” of a defenceless population. His remarks, published on Monday, mark one of the Catholic Church’s most severe condemnations of Israel’s actions since the war began.
Speaking on the eve of the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks on Israeli communities, Parolin called those attacks “inhuman and indefensible” and urged Hamas to release all remaining hostages. However, he maintained that Israel’s response had violated the principle of proportionality.
“Those who are attacked have a right to defend themselves, but even legitimate defence must respect proportionality,” said Parolin, who serves as the Vatican’s Secretary of State and one of Pope Leo’s closest aides. “The war waged by the Israeli army to eliminate Hamas militants disregards the fact that it is targeting a largely defenceless population, already pushed to the brink, in an area where buildings and homes are reduced to rubble.”
Parolin further stated that the international community appeared “powerless” and that nations with real influence had “failed to act to stop the ongoing massacre.” He questioned the morality of continuing to supply weapons “being used against civilians,” though he did not name specific countries.
Since the 2023 Hamas-led assault that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage, Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza has reportedly killed more than 67,000 people, most of them civilians, according to Gaza health authorities.
Under Pope Leo, elected in May following the death of Pope Francis, the Vatican has intensified its criticism of Israel’s blockade and military actions, urging greater humanitarian access and pressing the issue in diplomatic meetings, including a September discussion with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
Parolin concluded, “It’s not enough to say that what is happening is unacceptable and then continue to allow it to happen.”
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PM must clarify whether he endorses Sarma's 'utterly shameful' remarks on Kharge: Priyanka
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New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said the use of "abusive" language by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is "utterly shameful" and added Prime Minister Narendra Modi must clarify whether he endorses this "insult".
Sarma had triggered a row on Tuesday when he hit out at Kharge, saying that he was "speaking like a mad man" due to old age, after the latter put the onus on central agencies to probe the charges made against the Assam chief minister.
In a post in Hindi on X, Priyanka Gandhi said, "The kind of abusive and derogatory language used by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma against the Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, is utterly shameful and unacceptable."
She said Kharge is one of the most senior leaders in the country and serves as an enlightened representative not only of the Congress party but also of the Dalits and the marginalised sections of the nation.
"By insulting him, the BJP chief minister has insulted crores of people across the country," she said.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi must clarify to the nation: does he endorse this insult directed at crores of Indians?" she said.
The Congress on Tuesday accused Sarma of insulting party chief Kharge and demanded an unconditional apology from him for his "deplorable conduct" that it alleged reflects the "anti-Dalit mindset" of the BJP.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday had said the use of "derogatory language" against party chief Mallikarjun Kharge by Sarma was an insult to the entire SC/ST community, and the silence of Prime Minister Modi on the matter "is not his helplessness, but his consent".
"If the prime minister sees an attack on the dignity of crores of Dalits in the country and does not speak up - he is not only shirking his responsibility, but is also a party to that insult," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
Gandhi said the use of "vulgar and derogatory language" by Sarma against Kharge "is entirely condemnable, shameful, and unacceptable".
"Kharge ji is a senior and popular Dalit leader of the country - his experience, stature, and prestige are unparalleled. Insulting him is not an insult to one individual alone, but also to crores of people from the SC-ST community in this country," he posted.
This, he said, just reflected the "old and premeditated mindset" of the BJP-RSS and was nothing new.
"Whether it is the insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar, belittling Dalit leaders, or personal attacks on representatives of the SC-ST community - the history of BJP and RSS bears witness that whenever a Dalit leader speaks the truth, they stoop to humiliate him," Gandhi said.
"This is their ideology, this is their true character and face," he added.
Posing a direct question to the prime minister, he asked, "Do you support Himanta Sarma's use of this language? Your silence is not helplessness, it is consent."
