Herzog to Christian leaders: Hamas atrocities have nothing to do with Jesus’s teachings

President Isaac Herzog tells Christian leaders that the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7 were incompatible “with the teaching of Jesus Christ.”

“Evil forces of the worst kind carried out a barbaric, sadistic attack, killing innocent women, children, old people, young people, people from 40 nationalities, taking hostages, raping, chopping heads, burning people and more. There are also many people of the Christian communities who are affected by these horrors.

“Nothing of this is compatible with the Gospels, with the writing of the Gospels, with the teaching of Jesus Christ, or the teachings of course of the Jewish faith, and also with moderate Islam.”

“Our problem – all of us – is with extreme fundamentalist Islam, which does not accommodate you or us. It’s an expression of an empire of evil that emanates from Tehran, which believes in jihadist ideology, which we all have to eradicate. And that is why this war was forced upon us,” Herzog says while hosting leaders of different Christian communities in Israel for the annual New Year’s reception at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.

Herzog goes on to wish the Christian community leaders a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Greek Patriarch Theophilos III thanks Herzog and says, “Our common moral tradition teaches the unique value of every human life and respect for the dignity of every person. Our common moral tradition expects the entire human family to live in dignity. Our common moral tradition recognizes the importance of freedom, safety and security for the well-being of all.”