Pope Francis became increasingly vocal in condemning Israel’s war against Hamas in the months before his death, including a nativity scene featuring baby Jesus wrapped in a keffiyeh, which was unveiled at Pope Francis’ Nativity Scene and Christmas Tree inauguration in December in St. Peter’s Square.
The piece, titled “Nativity of Bethlehem 2024,” was designed by two artists from Bethlehem, Johny Andonia and Faten Nastas Mitwasi.
"The Pope’s inauguration of a nativity scene that showed baby Jesus cradled in a Palestinian keffiyeh is an affront to Jesus, the Bible, and the 80% of Christians who have fled Bethlehem since the Palestinian Authority took over the city,” President of Proclaiming Justice to The Nations, Laurie Cardoza-Moore said shortly after the unveiling.
“Let’s be clear. The Pope can’t rewrite the Bible - Jesus was a Jew from Judea, not a Palestinian. He was born to a Jewish mother in Bethlehem, in Judea – there was no Palestine," Cardoza-Moore continued.
Pope Francis also suggested the global community study whether Israel's military campaign in Gaza constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people, in some of his most explicit criticism of Israel last November.
In excerpts published from a new forthcoming book, the pontiff said some international experts say "what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide."
"We should investigate carefully to assess whether this fits into the technical definition (of genocide) formulated by international jurists and organizations," the pope said in the excerpts, published by Italian daily La Stampa.
Pope Francis' visit to the Western Wall
During his 2014 visit to the Western Wall, the pontiff left a handwritten note calling for unity.
“How happy I am that I was told: ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord,’” Francis wrote in the Western Wall’s visitor book, referencing Psalms. “Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem... This visit fills me with joy. I feel deeply moved and grateful to my elder brothers. I came here to pray and to ask God to bring peace—the goodness of peace. ‘They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks’ (Isaiah).”