(Crux. Elise An Allen).
After the Justice and Peace Commission of the Holy Land recently put out a new document condemning what it said was the weaponization of the term “just war” in the Gaza conflict, the Vatican’s Secretary of State has said the concept is being revisited. Asked about the document, Vatican Secretary of State Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin said, “We know that on the question of just war, there is a lot of discussion today, because this was a concept of social doctrine.” “There is just war, the war of defense, but today with the weapons that are available, this concept becomes very difficult” he said, saying, “In fact, it’s being discussed. I don’t think there is a definitive position yet, but it’s a concept that’s in revision.” In terms of the current war in Gaza, sparked after Israel retaliated for an Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack by Hamas that killed 1,200 people and which so far has claimed over 30,000 Palestinian lives, Parolin said, “It’s never a just war, in this sense.”