Israeli Ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Sideman, has defended Israel's military actions against Iran, framing them as a necessary measure to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. He argues that Iran's nuclear capabilities pose an imminent threat to Israel and could lead to a wider nuclear conflict in the Middle East. Sideman believes the Pope's moral voice can play a crucial role in supporting Israel's actions and advocating for nuclear disarmament. The ambassador also highlighted the failure of past diplomatic efforts and the need for decisive action to address the threat.
12 days ago
Israel's Ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Sideman, defends the recent military offensive against Iran as a necessary measure for global peace and security 1. He argues that the action is a "pre-emptive strike" to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons 1. Sideman claims that this offensive is not disproportionate but rather a preventative measure against a potential World War III 1.
Sideman asserts that there is "absolutely foolproof concrete" evidence that Iran is on the verge of achieving nuclear capabilities 1. He states that Iran has accelerated its production of ballistic missiles and enriched uranium to sixty percent, enough for nine nuclear bombs 1. The Ambassador insists that Iran's public commitment to annihilate Israel, coupled with its missile launches, demonstrates the existential threat it poses 1.
Sideman acknowledges Pope Leo XIV's call for "responsibility and reason" and nuclear disarmament through dialogue 1. However, he argues that dialogue with Iran has failed for decades and has been used as a deceptive measure 1. While appreciating the Pope's recognition of the threat to Israel, Sideman suggests that the Pope's moral voice can be influential in supporting Israel's military endeavors, framing it as a clash between good and evil 1. He believes the Pope's moral stance is crucial in the current climate 1.
The Church's teaching addresses just war and nuclear proliferation.
The Catholic Church addresses the concepts of just war and nuclear proliferation in its teachings.
The Catholic Church acknowledges the legitimacy of just war teaching when defending the innocent in the face of grave evil, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of working to avoid war and promote peace . War is seen as a failure to uphold human dignity, and nations are urged to find effective, peaceful solutions to conflict, promoting reconciliation and reconstruction . The Church recognizes the right and obligation of nations to defend human life and the common good against threats like terrorism and aggression, particularly against those persecuted for their religion .
According to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, war involves the use of lethal force, resulting in loss of life for soldiers and innocent civilians, as well as destruction of homes, crops, and infrastructure, causing hardship even after the war ends . While acknowledging the evils of war, the Church has historically accepted that unjust aggression should be resisted by legitimate political authorities to defend the common good and protect innocent life, which may require the use of force, including lethal force . This aligns with the Christian tradition of just war theory, which aims to limit the outbreak of war and govern how it is waged .
For a war to be considered just, several conditions must be met :
The Catholic Church has long called for the banning of nuclear weapons . Pope Francis has stated that the use, as well as the mere possession, of nuclear weapons is immoral . The premise of nuclear weapons as deterrence is flawed because it inevitably ends up poisoning relationships between peoples and obstructing any possible form of real dialogue . The Church is irrevocably committed to promoting peace between peoples and nations and supports international legal instruments of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, including the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons . The arms race wastes resources that could be used for the integral development of peoples and to protect the natural environment .
The Holy See has signed principal international treaties and conventions to reinforce norms regarding the non-proliferation of nuclear arms and the total, definitive elimination of chemical and biological weapons, as well as all weapons that indiscriminately strike innocent populations . The Church urges courageous decisions at the political and economic level to halt the arms race, as the logic of weapons can only lead to an escalation of violence . True and lasting peace among nations cannot consist in the possession of an equal supply of armaments but only in mutual trust . Policies of nuclear deterrence must be replaced with concrete measures of disarmament based on dialogue and multilateral negotiations .
The Church's teaching emphasizes that a world without nuclear weapons is possible and necessary and calls for the involvement of individuals, religious communities, civil society, countries that possess nuclear weapons and those that do not, the military and private sectors, and international organizations to make this ideal a reality .