Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa is warning that invoking God to justify war is, in his words, “the gravest sin we can commit at this time.”
Speaking from Jerusalem during a 15 March webinar organised by Oasis Foundation, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem said conflicts in the Middle East are driven by political and material interests – not faith.
He cautioned against what he called “pseudo-religious language,” insisting, “There are no new crusades.” The cardinal emphasised that God is found among victims of war – the suffering, the wounded and the displaced – and not those using religion for political gain.
His comments come amid the ongoing US and Israel-Iran war, which began 28 February. Cardinal Pizzaballa also echoed repeated appeals for peace from Pope Leo XIV, even while acknowledging those calls may go unheeded.
Turning to Gaza, he described a worsening humanitarian crisis: millions displaced, widespread destruction and severe shortages of basic medicines.
In the West Bank, the cardinal said, near-daily attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian communities continue, along with widespread movement restrictions and a growing number of checkpoints.
He also urged journalists to report critically and avoid becoming channels for propaganda, calling accurate information essential in times of war.
