sofcatholic

Israel War against Palestine I understand that some people may wonder how a Catholic YouTuber can express disagreement with the Pope. As a Catholic, we are compelled to align with the Pope's Authority exclusively in matters of morals and faith. In areas outside of these, such as climate change, immigration, global politics, or war, which often represent the Pope's personal opinions, individuals are free to express their agreement or disagreement as they see fit. So now lets delve into the topic of our discussion today "As many are aware, Israel has declared war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in response to their terrorist attack, resulting in the unfortunate loss of over 1500 Israeli lives. In the context of this ongoing conflict, Pope Francis has called for a ceasefire, a stance with which I hold a differing opinion. Like many Catholics around the world, my initial concern is to grasp the Morality of Israel's declaration of war. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, particularly in Paragraph 2309, offers a thorough framework that any nation should consider before embarking on the path of war. We will delve into this conflict, employing the principles of the Just War Doctrine as our guide, to help us navigate the intricate ethical dimensions of the situation. So lets get started. The First Condition is Just Cause: A just war must have a morally defensible reason, often framed as self-defense against aggression, the defense of innocent life, or the restoration of justice in response to grave and certain wrongdoing. In light of the imminent threat to Israel's security, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens, self-defense stands as the primary and essential option in response to Hamas' aggression. In this scenario the Israeli government is tasked not only with shielding its innocent civilians from the relentless onslaught of terrorist attacks but to completely eradicate the Terrorist infrastructure of Hamas to prevent any future massacre of innocent civilians on both sides. So its seems like Israel has more than a Just cause wage war against Hamas. Legitimate Authority: The decision to go to war must be made by a legitimate authority, typically a government or governing body, rather than individuals or non-state actors. This authority should act in accordance with moral and legal norms. The Israeli parliament has approved a law empowering the country’s prime minister and defense minister to declare war without full Cabinet approval in “extreme circumstances.” If an Teerroist attack on Innocent civilians is not an Extreme Circumstance, I dont know what is From the current news reports, it is evident that both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition parties in Israel have come together to form a war cabinet aimed at effectively implementing strategies to confront and uproot Hamas. The entire Israeli representative government is united in its stance to engage in military action against Hamas. So the the second Criteria also is also very easily meet by Israel. Last Resort: All peaceful means of resolving the conflict must be exhausted before resorting to war. Diplomacy, negotiations, and non-violent methods should be pursued first. Israel and Palestine have been involved in numerous unsuccessful peace initiatives, global summits, covert talks, UN resolutions, and state-building endeavors. Despite all these efforts, the underlying tension between these nations persists. The primary obstacle to achieving peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis is that one party desires for peaceful coexistence and the other party seeks the complete destruction of Jews. In the light of the recent tragic events, some might argue that Israel has exhausted its alternatives and may have no choice but to declare war. So it seems like the Last resort criteria also aligns with the Just war Doctrine of the Catholic Church. Probability of Success: A just war must have a reasonable chance of success. Going to war when there is little or no chance of achieving the intended goal is not morally justifiable and can result in unnecessary suffering. Its well known secret that Israel possesses one of the world's most formidable military capabilities, characterised by, a highly advanced air force, a robust intelligence community, strong strategic partnership with United States. In the absence of intervention from other proxy countries, Israel's military strength suggests a strong likelihood of success in this war against HAMAS. It is highly likely that the Israeli military will continue to weaken Hamas's military capabilities during the ongoing conflict, especially if there is no significant global pressure for a ceasefire. So I guess this criteria is also Satisfied. In conclusion, its quite clear that Israel's decision to go to war complies with the principles of a Just War in the Catholic tradition. Hence, I endorse the continuation of the war until Hamas's terrorist infrastructure is entirely eradicated. Suggesting a ceasefire at this juncture could potentially enable Hamas to regroup and rearm, and therefore, it may not be a wise course of action. Let me know your thoughts in the comments God Bless