Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, accused Pope Francis of perpetuating a “dangerous blood libel” against Israel and distorting history in a strongly worded letter sent on Thursday.
Chikli’s criticism focused on two recent actions by the Vatican: the Pope’s call for the accusations of genocide in Gaza to be “carefully investigated” and the display of a nativity scene depicting Jesus wrapped in a keffiyeh, a Palestinian national symbol.
“Two weeks ago, you participated in a display reflecting the Palestinian narrative, portraying Jesus as a Palestinian Arab. If this were an isolated incident, I wouldn’t be writing. However, more recently, you insinuated that the State of Israel might have committed genocide in Gaza,” Chikli stated.
He criticized the Pope’s use of the term genocide, emphasizing that, as a nation that lost six million of its sons and daughters in the Holocaust, Israel is particularly sensitive to the trivialization of the term “genocide,” which he said dangerously approaches Holocaust denial.
The nativity scene with baby Jesus wrapped in a keffiyeh was unveiled in St. Peter’s Square as part of the Vatican’s Christmas exhibition more than a week ago. It was designed by Bethlehem artists Johny Andonia and Faten Nastas Mitwasi.
At the event, Pope Francis called for peace, condemning war and the arms industry, stating, “Enough with wars, enough with violence!”
The artwork, titled “Nativity of Bethlehem 2024“, was created using olive wood, mother-of-pearl, and other materials, incorporating Palestinian symbolism.
Chikli also condemned the nativity display as an example of historical distortion, linking it to alleged efforts to undermine Jewish historical ties.
“It is a well-known fact that Jesus was born to a Jewish mother, lived as a Jew, and died as a Jew. There is no other way to interpret this decision except as a deliberate embrace of the Palestinian narrative,” Chikli said.
He further underscored Bethlehem’s significance in “Jewish history.”
“Bethlehem is the city where Rachel, our matriarch, died while giving birth to Benjamin, and where David, the son of Jesse, was born – the same David who became king of Israel and established Jerusalem as its capital,” he stated.
Chikli called on Pope Francis to clarify his position regarding what he termed a “blood libel against the Jewish state.” He acknowledged the Pope’s past efforts to strengthen Jewish-Christian relations, particularly through meetings with Jewish leaders and families of Israeli hostages.
