‘Let the massacre of Druze children stop the path of weapons’

Appeal of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries for the tragedy of 12 young victims of a missile that fell on a football pitch in Majdal Shams, in the Golan Heights. The anger of the Druze against Hezbollah but also against the Israeli government. Faced with the possibility of an escalation, the bishops affirmed: “The future of children depends on our ability to transcend hatred and embrace the principles of compassion and coexistence.”

Jerusalem () – The memory of the 12 Druze children who died as a result of “an act of indescribable violence” on Saturday 27 July in Majdal Shams must be honoured “by renewing our commitment to peace and rejecting all forms of violence”. “The spiral of violence must end,” says the message of condolences released in recent hours by the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, following the massacre perpetrated by a missile that fell on a football pitch in one of the Druze towns in the Golan Heights and has once again raised the risk of a full-scale conflict between Israel and Hezbollah on the Lebanese front.

Israel launched a series of strikes overnight against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, killing two people and wounding three others. For its part, the Lebanese Shiite movement – which has been attacking northern Israel in solidarity with Hamas since October but has so far avoided open conflict – continues to deny responsibility for the massacre, blaming a malfunction of the Iron Dome, Israel’s anti-missile system.

Meanwhile, the funerals of 10 of the 12 victims were held yesterday in a climate of anger and tension in the Druze villages of the Golan. The local community accuses the Israeli government of having abandoned it in recent months and calls for a harsh reaction against Hezbollah. But there were also strong protests against the far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir due to the conflicts created in recent years by the approval of the controversial law “Israel Nation State of the Jews” imposed by the nationalist right and considered by the Druze as a betrayal of their minority.

In this climate of tension and contradiction, the words of the Catholic bishops of the Holy Land resonate significantly. “The loss of these children is an indescribable tragedy that has had a profound impact on us all,” they say. “We urge all parties to seek mutual understanding and respect, because the future of our children and our communities depends on it. Enough violence, hatred and contempt!”

“We strongly urge all parties – the text continues – to abandon the path of conflict and arms and to seek mutual understanding and respect. The future of children and the well-being of our communities depend on our ability to transcend hatred and embrace the principles of compassion and coexistence. Nothing will be resolved by the evil of weapons and war! Let us not be overcome by evil, but let us overcome evil with good! (Romans 12:21).”

“May the Lord grant comfort and strength to the families of the victims,” concluded the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, “and may their memory remind us of the value of life and the urgency of peace.”