Israel

  • In Gaza, the Vatican Raises the White Flag

    HamasHamas denies Israel's right to exist. But for pontifical diplomacy, the Jewish state is wrong to defend itself with force. The custodian of the Holy Land reveals the thinking behind the Church's policy in the Middle East.

  • Interview with Petra Heldt

    Petra HeldtAn interview with Petra Heldt, head of the Ecumenical Theological Research Fraternity in Israel and proud friend of Israel, on Christians in Israel, dhimmitude and Sharia law, and Jewish-Christian relations.

  • Israel and the "Peace Activist" Flotilla

    Ship of peace?Not surprisingly, Israel's interception of the "humanitarian aid" flotilla heading for Gaza in the early morning of May 31, 2010, which ended with nine activists killed and dozens wounded, has sparked outrage and harsh condemnations from the international community.  The incident has been described as an Israeli "crime" and "massacre" of peaceful humanitarian workers who only wished to relieve the suffering of the people of Gaza.

  • Israel and the Charge of Apartheid

    Israel Apartheid WeekDay by day the anti-Israel alliance, and sadly in collaboration with major church movements mainly from the Protestant world, is seeking to make the Apartheid label stick to Israel. We see this at present in the fortnight of global agitation known as “Israel Apartheid Week.” There is more to this scheming than meets the eye in that the real agenda behind branding Israel an “Apartheid state” is to remove the Jewish State altogether.

  • Israel between Past, Present and Future

    The Face of IsraelIn this article, I examine three questions: First, the question "who is Israel?" - using as point of reference Fr. Carlo Colonna's five ways of understanding the term "Israel." Second, I discuss the idea of God's blessing that comes "from" Israel and is intended "for" Israel.  Third, I attempt to clarify our own identity and mission as Catholics for Israel in light of Fr. Carlo's five ways of understanding Israel.

  • Israel in the New Testament

    Star of David MosaicThe words "Israel" and "Israelite" occur 77 times in the New Testament. Is "Israel"ever used as a synonym for the Church? How many times does the NT use the expression "new Israel" or "true Israel" to refer to the Church?

  • Israel-Palestine: When the Map Lies

    Palestinian loss of land?Perhaps you have seen this map before; it claims to illustrate the "Palestinian loss of land" from 1946 to 2000. The problem is that the map completely misrepresents the recent history of Palestine-Israel.

  • Mary, the Universal Soul of Israel

    Mary and Jesus In this message I try to outline a a Jewish Catholic doctrine of Mary, a doctrine that, I think, does full justice to Mary as she is understood by the Church while, at the same time, acknowledging the dignity of Israel as it is understood in Judaism.

  • Masada

    Masada

    From Herod’s stronghold heights, a Remnant watched, as Silva’s legion circled them in vain. Across the changing hues of water far below, they looked with memory at Moab’s hills, secure as even Moses could not be, for they were here in Judah’s field.

  • Nazareth

    Nazareth

    No film director’s dream, this Galilean town: an ordinary place. Do you think I put it down? Why, no! It is to ordinary men he came, to share their ordinary lives, that they might be his kith.

  • Netanyahu's 2011 Speech at UN General Assembly

    PM Netanyahu speaking at the UN General AssemblyPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the 66th session of the General Assembly at United Nations headquarters on September 23, 2011, following Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' speech.

  • On Anti-Semitism

    Jacques MaritainJesus Christ suffers in the passion of Israel. In striking Israel, the anti-Semites strike him, insult him and spit on him. To persecute the house of Israel is to persecute Christ, not in his mystical body as when the Church is persecuted, but in his fleshly lineage and in his forgetful people whom he ceaselessly loves and calls. In the passion of Israel, Christ suffers and acts as the shepherd of Zion and the Messiah of Israel, in order gradually to conform his people to him.

  • On the Diverse Realities that go under the name "Israel"

    Fr. Carlo Colonna, sjIf we wish to grasp the meaning of God's Plan in history with regard to Israel, we must go far beyond the issues relating to the present political Israel or any other temporal  vision regarding Israel. We must grasp the role Israel has in God's Plan in the last days of history, wherein we have entered with the end of the time of the nations and the beginning of the time of Israel as God’s nation called in the end times to accept Messiah.

  • Pius XII Favored a Jewish Homeland in Palestine

    Pope Pius XIIAn organization researching the history of Pius XII's relationship with the Jews says that a series of documents recently uncovered show a pattern of direct actions by Archbishop Eugenio Pacelli (the future Pope) that culminated in the establishment of the modern State of Israel.

  • Pope Benedict XVI's Address at Yad Vashem

    Pope Benedict at Yad Vashem"May the Names of These Victims Never Perish." Here is the text of the address Benedict XVI gave on May 11, 2009 at the Yad Vashem memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.

  • Pope Benedict XVI's Arrival Speech in Israel

    Pope Benedict's arrival at Ben Gurion Airport"Sadly, anti-Semitism continues to rear its ugly head in many parts of the world. This is totally unacceptable." The following is the speech delivered by Pope Benedict XVI at Ben Gurion airport upon his arrival in Israel on May 11, 2009.

  • Pope Benedict XVI's Farewell Address to the Holy Land

    Pope Benedict's farewell speech at Ben Gurion Airport"We meet as brothers, brothers who at times in our history have had a tense relationship, but now are firmly committed to building bridges of lasting friendship." Here is the text of the farewell address Benedict XVI gave at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion international airport, before boarding a plane to return to Rome.

  • Pope Benedict XVI's Visit to the Grand Rabbinate

    Pope Benedict's visit to the Grand Rabbinate in Jerusalem"Our Two Communities Are Challenged to Engage People of Good Will at the Level of Reason." Here is the text of Benedict XVI's address during a courtesy visit to the "Hechal Shlomo" center, seat of the Grand Rabbinate, after he visited the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.

  • Prayer for the Salvation of Israel

    Yeshua, Messiah of IsraelLORD, that which You have given us, give to all Israel. May all Israel discover the sweet gentleness and sublimity of the Messiah, who is still waiting, and has already been with us for twenty centuries, Yeshua, the Lord. And together with the Messiah, may Israel discover the stunning beauty of the Good News that comes from heaven, the New Covenant capable of bringing to Israel the peace of her God, shalom upon Jerusalem.

  • Salvation is from the Jews

    Fr. Frédéric Manns, OFMFaced with the "already here" of the Church, Israel is the witness of the "not yet". The Jewish people and the Christian people are thus in a situation of mutual imitation. Christians rejoice in the "already here", while the Jews remember the "not yet".