Pope John Paul II’s Vatican Denounced Anti-Zionism

By Published On: April 6, 2005

Much has been written about Pope John Paul II’s youthful friendships with Jewish neighbors in Poland and, much later, his landmark visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Unmentioned in media coverage has been an important Vatican statement issued in July 2004 articulating the church’s strong repudiation of the notion that anti-Zionism is legitimate and different from anti-Semitism.

The Vatican declared: “We oppose anti-Semitism in any way and form, including anti-Zionism that has become of late a manifestation of anti-Semitism.”

A strong denunciation of terrorism accompanied the statement: “Terror is a sin against man and against God. Fundamentalist terrorism in the name of God has no justification and cannot be justified.”

Pope John Paul II’s many postive contributions to Catholic-Jewish relations are an important part of his remarkable legacy.

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