The Vatican’s ambassador has been summoned to the Israeli Foreign Ministry after Pope Francis criticized the “cruelty” of airstrikes in Gaza, several Israeli media outlets reported on Wednesday.
According to the Ynet news website, Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana was summoned for a conversation with Foreign Ministry Director General Eyal Bar-Tal on Tuesday. Bar-Tal condemned the remarks made by the Pope, but did not formally reprimand Yllana, the report said.
The Pope renewed his call for a ceasefire in Gaza ahead of Christmas, highlighting the civilian death toll from Israeli airstrikes.
“This is cruelty. This is not war. I wanted to say this because it touches the heart,” the pontiff said, according to Reuters.
Last month, the Vatican News cited Pope Francis as writing in his forthcoming book that the allegations of genocide committed by the Israeli army against the Palestinians “should be carefully investigated.”
Credit: RT News