Israel pulled out of the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, but left behind death and destruction. Israeli sociologist Eva Illouz tells SPIEGEL that her country is gripped by fear and is becoming increasingly suspicious of democracy. SPIEGEL: There was widespread support in Israel for the operation in the Gaza Strip, despite the huge numbers of civilian Read more
New Zealand’s Catholic bishops have asked Pope Francis to declare a global prayer vigil for peace in Gaza and the rest of the Holy Land. In a letter, the New Zealand bishops praise the Pope for his efforts to bring about peace. But the bishops pick up on a request from a Gaza priest, Fr Raed, Read more
Political and religious leaders in Europe have denounced anti-Semitism in their region as protests grow about the conflict in Gaza. “Anti-Semitic rhetoric and hostility against Jews, attacks on people of Jewish belief and synagogues have no place in our societies,” the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Italy said on July 22. Thousands defied a Read more
Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders in Wellington have issued a joint statement regarding the current conflict in Gaza and Israel. “We call upon all of the parties involved in the current conflict in Gaza and Israel to cease hostilities, and sit down at the negotiating table and do the hard work necessary to obtain a Read more
Muslims, Jews and Christians throughout the world have fasted from sunrise to sundown on one day, in the interests of peace in Israel and Palestine. July 15 was designated as an appropriate occasion as it fell on significant fasting days in Jewish and Muslim religious calendars. It was the 17th of the month of Tammuz Read more
Israel’s Education Ministry has announced that evolution will be taught in its middle school curriculum. Up to now, only the biblical account of the origins of humanity had been taught at this level, to grade eight and nine students. Darwin’s theory was only taught to high school students studying biology. An education sector spokeswoman said Read more
Hours before he convened an unprecedented Vatican prayer service for peace in the Middle East, Pope Francis told a crowd gathered in St Peter’s Square that “a church that doesn’t have the capacity to surprise… is a dying church.” By that standard, Francis showed that Catholicism on his watch is alive and kicking by delivering Read more
Pope Francis joined the presidents of Israel and Palestine in praying for peace in an “Invocation for Peace” at the Vatican on June 8. During his recent visit to the Holy Land, Pope Francis invited Israel’s Shimon Peres and Palestine’s Mahmoud Abbas to meet and pray together. On June 8, the two presidents met Pope Read more
There were many striking images during the extraordinary 72 hours that Pope Francis spent in the Middle East. The Pope at the River Jordan, visiting with Syrian refugees, celebrating mass in Bethlehem, praying at the separation wall, uniting with the Ecumenical Patriarch, visiting the Dome of the Rock, leaving a note at the Western Wall, Read more
On 13 June 2013, Pope Francis granted an interview to Israel’s Channel 2 TV at Santa Marta, the Vatican guesthouse where he lives. That interview made history; it was the first time that a TV crew entered Santa Marta to interview the pope. What is not known, however, is that immediately afterwards Francis asked to Read more