Pope Leo XIV tells the World that Defeating Hunger is the Path to Peace

 By Linda Bordoni

Pope Leo XIV visits the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome to mark World Food Day and the 80th anniversary of the organization’s founding. In his address he reaffirms the Holy See’s closeness to the institution and calls for a shared global commitment to end hunger and malnutrition.

Sandwiched between the Caracalla Baths, the Aventine Hill and the Circus Maximus and the high Roman ideals they represent, the FAO headquarters in Rome is a microcosm that represents the world. Its mission to defeat hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition in a sustainable way, upholding the dignity of every human being, resonates in a world where conflict, the climate crisis, forced migration and a widening gap between the rich and poor, cast doubt on the goodwill of the international community to place the human person above profit in the name of justice and peace.

That’s what Pope Leo XIV did on Thursday morning when he addressed a star-studded audience of UN and world leaders and goodwill ambassadors gathered at FAO to mark World Food Day and the organisation’s 80th anniversary.

 “We cannot be content with proclaiming values; we must embody them,” he said, calling for a renewed ethical foundation: “Slogans do not lift people from misery. We must place the human person above profit and guarantee food security, access to resources, and sustainable rural development.”

His visit, in the footsteps of all his predecessors starting with Pope Paul VI in 1970, provided him with the occasion to renew the Holy See’s long-standing support for the UN agency and to urge the international community to redouble its efforts to eradicate hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity — evils he described as “a moral wound that afflicts the whole human family.”

Pope Leo XIV at FAO   (@VaticanMedia)

“Whoever suffers from hunger is my brother”

Choosing to speak both in Spanish and in English, the Pope said that the fight against hunger “is not only a political or economic task but a profoundly human and moral duty.”

“Whoever suffers from hunger is not a stranger,” he said. “He is my brother, and I must help him without delay.”

He recalled that eighty years after the FAO’s creation, millions of people still lack adequate food and nutrition.

“Ending these evils,” he said, “requires the contribution of all: governments, institutions, civil society, and every individual person.”

A collective moral failure

Citing current data that show over 673 million people go to bed hungry and 2.3 billion lack a nutritious diet, the Pope said these are not abstract numbers but “broken lives and mothers unable to feed their children.”

He denounced “an economy without a soul” and a system of resource distribution that leaves vast populations in misery, calling the persistence of hunger in an age of abundance “a collective moral failure and a historical fault.”

“Food must never be a weapon”

Pope Leo expressed deep concern that food is once again being used as a weapon of war, calling this a “cruel strategy that denies men, women, and children their most basic right — the right to life.”

Recalling the UN Security Council’s past condemnation of starvation as a war crime, he lamented that “this consensus seems to have faded.” The silence of those dying of hunger, he said, “cries out in the conscience of humanity,” urging all nations to act decisively.

“Hunger is not humanity’s destiny but its downfall,” the Pope said. “It is not just a problem to be solved; it is a cry that rises to heaven.”

Pope Leo with FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu   (@Vatican Media)

An ethical vision of politics

The Pope did not neglect to reaffirm a concept that was dear to his predecessor, Pope Francis, who never tired of pointing out that to throw food away means to throw people away.

He too condemned the waste of food while others starve, and urged world leaders to end “outrageous paradoxes” and to “awaken from the lethargy that dulls our compassion.”

“Water is life, water is food”

Referring to this year’s World Food Day theme, the Pope said the message — “Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind” — calls all people to act together.

“At a time marked by division and indifference, unity through cooperation is not just an ideal but a duty,” he said. “Only by joining hands can we build a future in which food security is a right, not a privilege.”

He paid special tribute to women, whom he described as “the silent architects of survival, the first to sow hope and the careful stewards of creation.” Recognizing their contribution, he said, is “not only a matter of justice, but a guarantee of a more humane and lasting food system.”

Renewing multilateral cooperation

Pope Leo reaffirmed the importance of multilateralism and dialogue among nations, urging that the voices of the poor be heard directly. “We must build a vision that allows every actor in the international community to respond effectively to the genuine needs of those we are called to serve,” he said.

He also made a heartfelt appeal for the many peoples suffering hunger and violence in Ukraine, Gaza, Haiti, Afghanistan, Mali, the Central African Republic, Yemen, and South Sudan, insisting that “the international community cannot look the other way.”

“Give them something to eat”

Ending his address, the Holy Father quoted Jesus’ words to His disciples, “Give them something to eat” (Mk 6:37).  This Gospel command, he added, “remains a pressing challenge for the international community.”

“Do not tire of asking God,” he concluded, “for the courage and the energy to work for a justice that will yield lasting and beneficial results. You can always count on the solidarity of the Holy See and of the entire Church, which stands ready to serve the poorest and most disadvantaged throughout the world.”

Pope Leo signs book of honour at FAO   (@Vatican Media)

 

Catholic priest calls for ‘forgiveness’ hoping ceasefire really will end war in Gaza

 Maria Lozano, Nathalie Raffray  

HOLY LAND -   14th October 2025                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Father Gabriel Romanelli during the mass at Holy Family Church in Gaza (Image: © Holy Family Church Gaza)

A PARISH priest who defied evacuation demands to leave Gaza City has called on his flock to “forgive all those who have failed”, as he hopes the ceasefire will bring an end to this “atrocious war”.

A ceasefire in Gaza took effect on Friday (10th October) after Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of the 20-point peace plan brokered by Donald Trump, with the next phases still to be negotiated.

In his Sunday address in the Holy Family Catholic Church, Gaza City, Father Gabriel Romanelli said: “This ceasefire, God willing, will become the end of this atrocious war.”

He added: “The long-awaited day has come to begin the implementation of the peace process or peace agreement… May God, in his goodness, grant the Holy Land – and particularly this part of the Holy Land, which is Palestine, Israel – that we may begin to live in peace, in justice, in reconciliation.

Fr Romanelli expressed his profound gratitude and hope following the first Sunday without bombing.

During the Mass, the priest invited parishioners to give thanks to God for their enduring faith and to participate in an act of reconciliation and forgiveness, inspired by the teachings of Pope Saint John Paul II. 

He said: “To forgive all those who, voluntarily or involuntarily, have failed, and ask forgiveness for our own shortcomings”.

At least 57 members of the Christian community have died during the war, including those who died while sheltering in the Catholic compound and the neighbouring Orthodox parish. 

Fr Romanelli e said: “War destroys everything, but we also experienced good things: solidarity and generosity, even in the most adverse conditions.” 

Invoking the words of Fr Werenfried van Straaten, founder of Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need Fr Romanelli said: “Human beings are much better than we think.”

The priest expressed gratitude for the constant support of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, led by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, as well as the prayers and support of Popes Francis and Leo XIV.

He stressed the importance praying and working so peace could take root for the region.

Fr Romanelli concluded: “Let us hope that it will truly be a just and lasting peace for all the inhabitants of the Holy Land.”

                

Catholic Church in Africa Urges World Leaders, Institutions to Urgently Commit to Protect Our Common Home

 by Valerian Kkonde

ACCPU

 

Catholic Communicators at the Kigungu site  on the shores of L. Victoria where the first Catholic missionaries in Uganda- Fr. Lourdel Mapeera and Bro. Amans first set foot on 17th February 1879. The Church's voice plays an important role in the response to the impact of climate change.

This year, for the month of September, the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV is in a special way calling upon the faithful and all humanity to try and go an extra mile to experience the interdependence with all creatures through the inspiration of St. Francis. The Pope further reminds the people that all creatures are loved by God and are worthy of love and respect.

In the same month, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) has called upon world leaders and global institutions to consider addressing the climate crisis as a priority, with the urgency and commitment it deserves. SECAM made this global appeal during the Second Africa Climate Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on September 7, 2025.

The global appeal comes at a time when the world is gearing up to the 30th Conference Of the Parties (COP30) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to be hosted by Brazil in Belem from 10-21 November 2025. Expectations are that the Conference will accelerate the implementation of climate agreements, most especially the Paris Agreement.

COP30 is further expected to focus on the areas of transitioning to renewable energy, forest and biodiversity protection, climate finance, and building resilience to climate change impacts. Brazil, as a country, is expected to highlight the crucial role of nature, especially the Amazon, in achieving climate goals.

More on the global stage, the UN is increasingly seen as an institution that has failed to unite member states to work for peace and development, in respect to Israel’s genocide in Palestine and other conflicts, turning the world into a wounded and weary place.

Endemic in society today are the structural sins which we do not address.

“We must move beyond the mentality of appearing to be concerned but failing to bring about substantial change. We are still not facing the issues squarely, and the commitments made are weak and hardly fulfilled.

We cannot continue to make excuses; what is needed is courage and determination to move away decisively from fossil fuels, to embrace renewable sources of energy, and to make genuine lifestyle changes for the sake of our common home,” observes SECAM.

As a continent, Africa is ravaged by wars, conflicts and poverty. Africa is enormously endowed with natural resources but unfortunately, these are being plundered by the so-called developed countries. In a way, all these are the result of the good governance crisis, and lack of integrity, that continue to bedevil the continent. The would-be leaders many times become agents for multinational companies and plunder national resources in the name of foreign investors.

L. Victoria the world's second largest fresh water lake is an extraordinary resource shared among Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Rusting metal and the water hyacinth are some of the threats it faces. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU

National resources have in effect become the property of Africa’s strongmen, leaving majority nationals wallowing in abject poverty. In Africa, poverty and environmental degradation go hand in hand, and the same can be said of poverty and bad governance.

The voice of the Church plays a crucial role in addressing the devastating impacts of climate change. This is a voice driven by the common good and not power, profits and extortion.

“The Church calls on wealthy nations to repay their ecological debt through transparent, accessible, and no-indebting climate finance. Loss and Damage and Adaptation Funds must be swiftly operationalized, reaching vulnerable communities directly and fostering resilience rather than dependency.”

Currently, many young Senegalese are desperately migrating to Europe in search of greener pastures. Fishing, which is the backbone of their economy, is being plundered by powerful European fishing companies. While many continue to perish in the seas as they ply the Mediterranean in dangerously loaded boats to land on the shores of Europe, and even endure dehumanising treatment, many more keep undertaking the treacherous journeys to flee from the poverty and other injustices.

For Uganda, endowed with the marvels of Lake Victoria- the world’s second largest fresh water lake- many local fishing communities are destabilised by government’s pampering of foreigners. Many Ugandans are finding it too expensive to buy fish; they now settle for the scattered flesh left on the bones grudgingly and sarcastically called “fillets.”

Many fishermen have lost their lives while others have been permanently crippled by government’s zeal to enforce oppressive and dehumanising laws that ensure that the benefits of L. Victoria and other water bodies serve the interests of the foreigners who help keep them in power.

As the Chinese continue to mine sand from L. Victoria and grow rice in Lwera, neighbouring communities are devastated by floods to the extent of being forced from their properties. Schools and health facilities have turned into small lakes and the Katonga bridge was destroyed forcing traffic to far away alternative routes. Markets and other economic activities had to close, forcing residents to uncertain lifestyles.

“As Catholic communities in Africa, we ask the leaders of nations and institutions to recognise their moral duty and commit to urgent and ambitious action to protect our common home and the most vulnerable. Delay and half-measures only deepen the suffering of our people and jeopardise future generations.”

Irresponsible garbage disposal at Luzira Pier is another of the many threats to Lake Victoria. From such sites methane gas which is a key contributor to climate change is produced. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU

SECAM maintains that African nations must be compensated for the untold suffering they are forced to endure, leading to health, social and environmental hazards despite contributing least to global emissions.

“This is a matter of justice and solidarity with the poorest and most affected communities. Adaptation efforts must safeguard food security, water systems, and livelihoods, prioritizing the poor and marginalised.”

For its part, SECAM promises to collaborate in educating, mobilising and accompanying affected populations. They however urge the developed countries to “recognise and pay their ecological debt to the Global South, without continuing to indebt our nations through loans disguised as climate aid.”

SECAM has also called upon the perpetrators of this environmental crisis to stop making excuses, but to boldly come out and move away from fossil fuels.

“The future is this renewable energy, namely solar panel. It is crucial to invest in clean energy and upgrade infrastructure to address Africa’s energy poverty,” SECAM urges the leaders.

Justice and respect for one another, especially the developing countries, will play an important role in ensuring sustainable use of the resources. The rich and the poor alike, have a duty to care for and respect creation in a manner that recognises our interdependence.

The calmness of Madagascar, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, was on September 25, 2025 treated to a rude awakening as many young people took to the streets to protest over frequent water shortages and power outages. They demanded for respect for human rights and a dignified lifestyle. This later led to a military coup, gravely affecting every aspect of life!

Madagascar is famed for its vast natural resources including rich mineral deposits, along with significant agricultural potential and favourable climate. The island nation is also exceptionally rich in unique biodiversity, encompassing diverse ecosystems and species found nowhere else on Earth.

But the World Bank estimates indicate that over 70% of its over 30 million population is living below the poverty line.

Bruno Rajaspera, Country Director- Africa, Madagascar- captures well the Island nation’s vulnerability to climate change: “Madagascar’s natural resources are currently under serious threat, and we need to act quickly to reverse the trend of degradation that is exacerbating poverty. Let’s act together to safeguard this natural heritage by mobilising resources and inviting key stakeholders to join our efforts to combat environmental pressures and build a sustainable economy based on the management and restoration of Madagascar’s landscapes and seascapes.”

In Ghana’s capital Accra, Africa witnesses one of the biggest and most dangerous industrial dumping sites on the continent. At Agbogbloshie is the dumping site of Europe’s electronic- waste. At least 40,000 people are estimated to live in this area.

Old televisions, computers and refrigerators are set on fire here, giving off toxic fumes in an area covering 16 square kilometers. These emissions pollute the soil and the water. More so, they leave traces of plastic in the environment.  No wonder it is referred to as the “Toxic city.”

The developing countries lack the infrastructure to sort and recycle the waste. The result is dumping, and then burning of the waste, further complicating the situation for the innocent victims. Poverty and limping health systems turn everything into a crisis: environmental, health, financial, cultural and educational. Every aspect of life is gravely threatened.

 Will the UN regulate and prohibit Europe from exporting plastic waste to poor countries like Ghana? Why do these countries generating these mountains of waste not leave them in their own countries? Who will ensure that the perpetrators of the environmental crisis fulfil their obligation to make good of their promises to pay for these crimes?

Papyrus play a crucial role in filtering all the water from the land before it joins the main lake. Rampart environmental destruction and dangerous waste disposals have destroyed these natural safeguards. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU

SECAM further commits to “establish an Ecclesial Observatory on Climate Justice to monitor implementation of climate pledges and partner with ethical actors to build a green and resilient Africa.”

The Catholic Church in Africa unequivocally advocates for a transformation that puts the care of life at the centre, the sovereignty of indigenous and rural peoples over their territories, and the active defence of the rights of women, climate migrants and new generations.

It is in that regard that the Catholic Church in Africa warns and calls upon humanity to be cognizant of the fact that the injustices, excuses, greed, procrastinations, denials and half-measures all end up devastating our common home.

“The earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor.”

 

Enormous Challenges ahead of Search for International Climate Justice

 by Valerian Kkonde

ACCPU

As the world struggles to create a far safer, cleaner and more equitable world

 

Irresponsible garbage disposal is a major environment destruction practice in Uganda. Even the smoke from the burning of plastic is a major health hazard. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU

That scientists continue to refer to global warming as a “super-wicked” problem, is proof that humanity is at a very critical stage of threatening her existence. This is so because humanity is failing to come up with concrete measures to address this threat.

It is not that people lack knowledge of what needs to be done; rather it is the political will that is lacking.

Nations, world leaders, companies, observers and well-wishers gather every year in search of a solution to human activities that are causing devastation to mother earth. It is at the Conference Of Parties (COP) that the world comes together in admission that concerted effort is needed to address the wreckage of extreme weather leaving many communities in a state of permanent crisis.

The 28^th Conference Of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) was hosted by the United Arab Emirates at the Expo City Dubai. This was last year, 2023, from November 30 to December 13. The Convention brings together the 198 Parties- 197 nations plus the European Union- that have signed on to the Framework Convention.

As Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change gather every year, extreme weather conditions continue to manifest themselves across every region of the world. With lives being overturned, the seemingly lack of improvement has led many to doubt the relevance of these high-level meetings. For many victims, they are mere “talk shows for the powerful.”

It is not only human beings that are destroyed in Palestine. Animals and plants are also under destruction and this makes life unbearable. 

“We participate in this Summit looking really to try to double down on the commitments that have previously been made to make sure that governments live up to those commitments and commit  the resources necessary,” observes Alistair Dutton, Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis.

Caritas is the Commission of the Roman Catholic Church overseeing relief and development. The Commission is present in every diocese of the Church and has a network that reaches the smallest structure of society worldwide.  

Climate change impacts include warming temperatures, changes in precipitation, increases in the frequency or intensity of some extreme weather events, and rising sea levels. These impacts threaten our health by affecting the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the weather we experience.

Injustices include the use of public funds to rectify environmental destructions while the perpetrators are left to continue business as usual. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU 

The quality of source water is threatened through increased runoff of pollutants and sediment, decreased water availability from drought and saltwater intrusion, as well as adversely affecting overall efforts to maintain water quality.

In Uganda, heavy downpours and prolonged hostile dry-spells are on the increase due to climate change.

In 2008 National Water and Sewerage Corporation was searching for US $ 3 million to extend its water pipes 3 km deep into Lake Victoria. The aim being to bypass the intense algal bloom in the Inner Murchison Bay. This is the main water source for the capital Kampala’s water supply.

Algae are green microscopic plants that live in the surface waters of the lakes. They are usually visible to the human eye when there is a lot of sunshine. These catalyze their growth into huge masses. As they decompose on the shores, they give off a very pungent smell and degrade the water quality. This is the consequence of poor waste disposal systems, compounding health, environmental and financial problems. To treat the algae-contaminated water, National Water had to part with 11 billion shillings.

By cutting forests, CO2 emissions are boosted and habitants destroyed. Birds and animals are forced to migrate to areas which do not favour their existence. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ACCPU

By all indication, the situation is getting worse every other day. Forest cover is fast diminishing, wetlands and other water bodies are threatened and as a result, seasons have become very unpredictable and hostile. Species of fauna and flora are becoming extinct. The impression is that there are no laws and the political will to hold government and other powerful actors to account.

According to Aguti Betty Rose, Caritas Uganda is optimistic that by engaging in awareness, advocacy for policy and legislative agenda, Ugandans and other people the world over, will finally realise the importance and need to adopt to the changing climate conditions.

“It is important that people avoid wastage in the first place. It is of no value to have more than one car in a family. People also need to migrate to sustainable energy.”

“The Pope is the most eminent advocate, the most consistent defender of true civilisation. By civilisation we mean the fusion of the religious, moral, philosophical, scientific, aesthetic, political and social elements. Centuries of history prove this.”_ Fr. James Alberione

Betty Rose is the Policy and Advocacy Specialist at Caritas Uganda. She is also the National Coordinator Uganda Farmers Common Voice Platform.

COP 28 is famed for marking the conclusion of the first global stock-take of the world’s efforts to address climate change under the Paris Agreement. With progress too slow across all areas of climate action- from reducing greenhouse gas emissions to strengthening resilience to a changing climate to getting financial and technological support to vulnerable nations- countries responded with a decision on how to accelerate action across all areas by 2023.

Governments were called upon to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels to renewables such as wind and solar power in their next round of climate commitments.

At COP 27 nations had agreed to set up a fund to support vulnerable nations and communities already experiencing adverse impacts of climate change. Discussions on operationalizing the new funding arrangements for Loss and Damage took place at COP 28.

Wetlands play a crucial role in the interdependence of all creatures. This requires sustainable use and protection. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU

Establishment of the Fund for Loss and Damage with commitments totaling US $ 700 million symbolizes global solidarity, reflecting both the urgency of the climate emergency and a step forward in international climate justice. Uganda was chosen as one of the first seven developing countries to benefit from this fund amounting to US $ 400 million.

This was also the first time that the UNFCCC resulted in unprecedented recognition and momentum for linking efforts to address the climate and biodiversity crises. Alongside pollution, these make up the triple planetary crisis- the three, main interlinked environmental issues facing humanity.

 The COP 28 Action Agenda was centered on fast-tracking a just and orderly energy transition, fixing climate finance, focusing on people, nature, lives and livelihoods, and fostering inclusivity.

Disappointments ranged from failure to deliver for low- and middle income countries to not securing the assurances that countries with the greatest historical responsibility for climate change will go further, faster and will generate the finance needed for a global just transition.

Not only was the policy of “transition away” changed from the original, stronger-worded policy of “phasing out” fossil fuels, but also the decision did not elaborate on any time framework for the transition away from the fossil fuels and contain any mechanism which will hold governments accountable to this.

Transitioning to electric vehicles is one of the ways sought to reduce on greenhouse emissions. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU 

One of the main voices on climate change is Pope Francis and his messages are consistent. In his encyclical- Laudato Si- he calls on humanity to take action on climate change, stressing that the problem is great.

That Pope Francis published Laudate Deum just before the Summit is further proof that he cares about the climate change issue and its consequences for our common home and its inhabitants. He had to cancel his scheduled presence at the Summit for health reasons.

“Pope Francis’ message to world leaders and key players is to the point. We have to act now for the good of humanity, for the good of the planet, to care for current and future generations,” says Dutton.

United States of America, China and India, some of the greatest polluters of mother earth, made optimistic moves and commitments at the COP 28 although their actions back home and internationally are devoid of walking the talk.

In Uganda China has become a nuisance and a disgrace, to say the least, when it comes to environmental degradation. They are constructing industries in wetlands and releasing effluents in our fresh water bodies. Between the capital Kampala and Lugazi municipality; and between the capital Kampala and Luweero town, one is treated to a deplorable sight of systematic environmental degradation. Southwards, the stretch between the capital Kampala and Masaka is more proof that at times the commitments at COP pass for talk-shows for the powerful.

One-time-use plastics require a lot of responsibility on the part of the public. Often times it is not the case, leading to indiscriminate disposal which causes environmental and health hazards. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU

The world’s second largest fresh water lake- Lake Victoria- is deteriorating at a supersonic speed due to the Chinese sand- mining and rice-growing, especially in Lwera.

Uganda too was ably represented by the Prime Minister Nabbanja Robinah and in her eight point national statement assured the participants that Uganda can be counted on as a partner to create a far safer, cleaner and more equitable world. 

“Government of Uganda recognizes and welcomes Just Transitions that is orderly and phased energy transition that ensures the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy that minimizes negative consequences on workers, communities, ecosystems and national economies for enhanced energy access and Sustainable Development.”

Wetlands continue to be destroyed in the name of development. Worse still, farmers apply dangerous pesticides to their crops causing environmental and human destruction. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU  

Major environmental crimes in Uganda have powerful political fathers and that explains why they continue unpunished and with impunity.

“If the current state of doing things is not changed, we are headed for doom,” observes Betty Rose.

Walking the talk of climate change remains a sensitive issue that countries like America and China, some of the major culprits, guard against. But for further progress, this problem requires significant efforts at the domestic level and international climate talks.

Editor- This article was first published in Leadership Magazine 2024.

Dire Consequences from Half-measures on Genocide in Palestine Manifest in Qatar Bombing

 by Valerian Kkonde

PEARL NEWS SERVICE

 

Hamas fighters and other Palestinians gather around a Red Cross vehicle in Gaza City before the release of Israeli captives as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel in January 2025 [Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters]

Complicity… Indifference… Pretense… Hypocrisy… Impunity and Half-measures are some of the words that one can use when talking about the genocide in Palestine being carried out by Israel with support and cover up from America, Germany, UK and the other members of this evil coalition. 

Most, if not all, of the catastrophes afflicting our common home are the result of the colonial mentality the so-called developed countries are peddling around. The leaches believe that everything good must belong to them, and that they have the right to oppress, rob, promote injustices and even murder as their foreign policy.

It is in that regard that the bombing of Doha on September 9, 2025 of people gathered to chart means of bringing the genocide in Palestine to an end, is an unforgivable heinous crime. Such heinous crimes are simply perpetrated by impunity, simplification and manipulation. Drastic actions like suspending, at least, the satanic Abraham Accords as well as putting in place sanctions on Israel are some of the long awaited responses but are not forthcoming.

So far, the message being sent out by Qatar, UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and cohort is that they are more concerned with the US dollars than the dignity of the Palestinians. The actions of the mad dogs and satanic demagogues: Netanyahu and Donald Trump will spare none.

This is a warning to world leaders that indifference and double standards will catch up with them in one way or the other. Respect for human dignity must be at the fore front when talking about, and planning for, a new world order lest everything will go up in flames. The Middle East countries have a great duty to stop the genocide and forced displacement of Palestinians and the evil plans for a new “Middle East” without involving Palestinians.

This is another wake up call to the world. When Adolph Hitler was no more, the world thought that he had died with his hate and murderous tendencies. Far from it. Even the Jews received no restoration assistance and this seems to be the reason why more than 80 years later, they are the ones carrying out the genocide. They were never assisted, they were never guided or helped to free themselves from the pain, anger and hate; they blindly fled like an animal fleeing from the snare.

Worse still, for them and the world at large, the UN got it completely wrong when it decided to secretly offer Israel a sort of special status on the world stage. Why is Israel, the same perpetrator of the genocide, being asked let aid and other amenities inside Palestine? These satanic ploys can only be defined as deliberate so that the genocide can be carried out to its logical conclusion.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has a lot to do to prove to the world that the institution he heads is not for serving the interests of America and cohorts but the entire globe for justice, peace and sustainable development

One gets the impression that if it were not for the loud voices of those who still have a conscience, the UN would bargain with Israel in order for it to fulfill its mandate. Or that is what the UN is doing in disguise? The genocide has long been in the pipeline and it would be an insult for the UN claim that it did not see it coming. The UN handed Palestine to Israel for its laboratory!

Even Nazi Germany seems to be very alive and kicking. The words and actions of the Germany leadership ably portray the spirit of Genocideur tendencies. When deforestation takes place, reforestation has to follow so as to reinstate the forest that had been destroyed. Otherwise there will be no other forest. Is Nazi Germany bent on having the number of Genocideurs grow in leaps and bounds? No doubt, the Genocideurs club is firmly established.

Palestine must be a full architect of its future but after the UN abandoned it for more than eight decades, it is time for the Middle East countries to come up, with full force, and ensure its existence. Middle East countries must build on the resilience of the Palestinians that has kept them fighting for their dignity even when most of the world abandoned them. And the time is now.

Middle East countries must overcome the divide –and- rule tactic that America is employing if they are to ensure their own safety and prosperity. It is absurd that the Emirs and Sheiks of the Middle East are in a deep slumber which requires a rude awakening like the bombing of Doha.

It is time to stop to simply appear to be concerned but taking no bold and decisive actions to assert their position. What will the present day Emirs and Sheiks tell the future generations when asked about their role in ending or being accomplices in this genocide? For sure the holding of thousands of meetings will not be a smart excuse. Decisive actions needed right now.

When will you ever show solidarity with the Palestinians, and prove your commitment to justice and peace if not at this point of ending the genocide? How will you justify your continued sharing of the bed with Genocideur Israel?

The world needs to see the Middle East moguls at the fore front of establishing a Palestinian state. You will always be remembered as a nuisance and disgrace, a hopeless lot, if you fold your arms and declare business as usual when you do not fight for the protection of the dignity, knowledge and cultural heritage of your Palestinian brothers.

Better late than never. If the grizzly images coming from Palestine have failed to move the international community, let alone the neighbours, into decisive action, let the “reckless criminal attack by Israel on Qatar” move them.

The Qatari have won world praise for taking on the mediatory role in a number of conflicts afflicting the world. This applies to the Israel genocide in Palestine. The September 9 savage attack on people gathered for the cease fire negotiations is another incidence that has exposed Donald Trump’s administration. Above all, this is loud statement that the US and Israel are not interested in ending the genocide in Palestine.

This primitive arrogance and impunity also shutters the so called security guarantees that the US collaborators in the Middle East have used as an excuse for their half-measures on issues to do with Palestine. It is divide-and-rule of new proportions.

Marco Rubio took off from where Anthony Blinken stopped and proudly told the world that Genocideur Benjamin Netanyahu is expanding the illegal settlements because some countries are recognising the Palestinian state. This sounded like strong grounds for the Middle East to follow up this crap with decisive actions but the world is still waiting. This is the ripe moment for the Middle East countries to prove that they too are not hypocrites when they talk about the dignity of the Palestinians and their right to self-rule and determination.

At least this time the UN tried to wake up from its treacherous slumber and, three days after the Doha bombing, overwhelmingly voted for the two-state solution for Palestine and Israel. Better late than never. This great gesture will be watered down if it is not followed with other decisive acts like forcing aid into Palestine, calling off any sort of dealings with Israel and bringing the Genocideurs to book. The world is waiting for consequences for Genocideurs.

Since Qatar PM was in Washington DC to meet with the clumsy Trump administration, the Middle East should follow up the UN decision with a demand for an unconditional ceasefire in Palestine if bilateral relations are to remain in place with the US and Israel.

Some experts estimate that it will take at least a decade to remove the 42 million tonnes of rubble in Gaza. [Hassan Jedi/Anadolu]  

There is no other time to nip in the bud this murderous impunity and arrogance at display by Israel and the US, than this moment. If the Middle East is to prove to the world that it is a credible partner in search for a world order founded on justice, integrity and respect for human dignity, this is the opportunity and it must be best grabbed for the Palestinians who for centuries have been treated as mere biological substances.

Every minute that passes without any concrete decision and action costs a lot of innocent Palestinian lives. This must be stopped immediately. Every human life is precious, none is more precious than the other as the demagogues of this wounded and weary world tend to portray it.

History clearly states that Genocideurs never talk peace; they are either dragged to peace or simply battered to accept peace. The serious consequences for a genocide must be clearly displayed out for everyone to see. Until this is fulfilled, impunity will simply be emboldened and our common home will be treated to genocide after genocide. The world deserves better.

 

 

Urgent ceasefire and aid for Gaza- Pope tells Israeli President

 Vatican News

"A two-state solution is the only way out of the current war"

During a private audience, Pope Leo XIV and Isaac Herzog discuss the need for an urgent ceasefire and unimpeded aid access for Gaza, as well as the liberation of all remaining hostages and a two-state solution as the only path to peace.

 

      President Isaac Herzog and Pope Leo XIV met on Thursday, September 4, 2025 (@Vatican Media)

 Isaac Herzog and Pope Leo XIV met on Thursday, September 4, 2025Vatican Media)

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday received Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel, in audience in the Apostolic Palace.

The Israeli President subsequently met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

 

According to a statement issued by the Holy See Press Office, during “the cordial talks with the Holy Father and in the Secretariat of State, the political and social situation in the Middle East was addressed, where numerous conflicts persist, with particular attention given to the tragic situation in Gaza.”

 

Hope was expressed “for a speedy resumption of negotiations so that, with willingness and courageous decisions, as well as the support of the international community, the release of all hostages can be achieved, a permanent ceasefire reached with urgency, the safe entry of humanitarian aid into the most affected areas be facilitated, and full respect for humanitarian law be ensured, together with the legitimate aspirations of the two peoples.”

 

The statement added that there were talks about how to ensure a future for the Palestinian people and about peace and stability in the region. It said the Holy See reiterated its view that "a two-state solution is the only way out of the current war.”

 

Reference was also made to what is happening in the West Bank and to the important question of the city of Jerusalem.

 

Before concluding, the Press Office statement noted that “During the discussions, there was agreement on the historical value of the relations between the Holy See and Israel.”

 

A number of issues were also addressed concerning relations between the civil Authorities and the local Church, with particular attention to the importance of Christian communities and their commitment, both locally and throughout the Middle East, to human and social development, especially in the areas of education, the promotion of social cohesion, and regional stability.

 

Genocideur Trump Cannot be the one to Pursue Peace for Ukraine

 

by Valerian Kkonde

Pearl News Service

 

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump at the "ALASKA 2025" summit that raised hopes but delivered few details on ending the war in Ukraine.

 

USA President Donald Trump, who by his words and actions has come to be called Donald “Tariffs” Trump, ably answers the definition of a restless man who has accumulated a lot of wealth but lacking interior peace.

 

Since coming back to the White House for his second term, Trump is pursuing policies that erode democratic values and debase freedoms. Trump’s administration has proved that it has no equal when it comes to disregard for human dignity, global stability, development and integrity.

 

All this is a reminder about the true character of Trump, who, shortly before being nominated by his Republican party, had been found guilty in a historic New York hush money case. This was not only the first time a former US President was convicted of a crime but it is a bold statement that Trump’s true place was not supposed to be in the White House but somewhere in prison; serving his sentence for all thirty-four felony counts of falsifying business records.

 

The genocide in Palestine is proof enough to confirm that Trump is a nuisance and a disgrace. Just like his predecessor, the “sleepy” Joe Biden, Trump continues to fan the genocide with all sorts of arms he can lay his arms on and even offer diplomatic cover up to the Adolph Hitler of our times in the names of Benjamin Netanyahu.

 

For Trump to keep shouting how Israel is committing these heinous crimes in the name of self-defence, bar the UN from providing the much needed support to the hapless Palestinians and then come up with a devilish outfit- the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation- sums up the evil that these demagogues, passing off as world leaders, are.

 

Palestinian families and journalists gathered in Gaza City on July 19, 2025 to demand an end to Israeli attacks and the entry of humanitarian aid. Demonstrators held banners reading "Gaza is starving," "Stop the attacks" and "We appeal to the world's conscience." (Saeed M. M. T. Jaras/Anadolu/Getty Images)

Palestinians have been subjected to all the dehumanisation that the Jews were subjected to by the savage Adolph Hitler and cohorts. The world still remembers the gas chambers, the concentration camps, the starvations, the lethal injections… name it. What a shame!! What a disgrace!!

 

 Yet the so-called developed nations still maintain relationships with the Nazi Israel as if it is business as usual. Any nation with a conscience should have terminated any dealings with the savage Benjamin Netanyahu and taken concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. Even if it calls for a Nagasaki-Hiroshima- style bomb that brought the Second World War to an end.

 

The images of starving children and other people, the hospitals, schools and homes in shambles are the work of the devil incarnate.

 

The politics Trump is rolling out in America espouses hatred, vengeance, greed, oppression, anarchy, spread of authoritarianism and dehumanising tendencies at unprecedented levels. The America that has for decades been synonymous with migrants has been turned into a nightmare. The rights, freedoms and rule of law that were the hallmark of Superpower America have all been flushed down the sewer.

 

Instead of sowing seeds of harmony among nations, Donald Tariffs Trump is sowing discord and promoting systems that serve a few kleptocrats. And they are determined to go to any length to secure their impunity. That is why the world simply watches and takes to meaningless meetings and resolutions while the genocide in Palestine keeps taking its toll, the Adolph Hitler style. What a shame! What a disgrace!

 

Najwa Hussein Hajjaj, 6, is suffering from severe malnutrition in Gaza City. She needs specially prepared meals due to an esophagus condition, according to the New York Times. The Jordanian embassy contacted the family in an attempt to get Najwa out to receive medical care abroad. (Saher Alghorra/The New York Times/Redux) 

It is foolhardy for the so-called world leaders and other people of integrity to put their hopes of bringing to an end the mayhem in Ukraine in America’s disgraced Donald Trump. All indications are that Trump is using the pursuit of peace in Ukraine as an opportunity to run away from, and cover up, the genocide in Palestine. Anyone who expects Trump to pursue meaningful peace for Ukraine is no different from those who argue that Adolph Hitler was capable of founding the now hopeless UN.

 

America has always, until under the hate-saturating Trump administration, been known as a country of immigrants. But alas! Look at the brutish force Trump is exerting on innocent immigrants! How about the vulgar language he is using against them! No matter the amount of anger and hatred Trump and his kin have towards the immigrants, the fact remains that America is what it is due to the immense contribution of immigrants. Were Trump to be an immigrant, his acts and words place him close to the hatred similar to that of the 1930s Nazi Germany. The Jews are witnesses to this fact.

 

If agents of peace, like clumsy Trump often wants to portray himself, can be such ruthless and restless, how much more destruction and anarchy will war mongers met on this beautiful common home?

 

Making reference to the history of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10^th December 1948, one can correctly conclude that the UN is complicit in the genocide in Palestine. The UN has failed the world.

 

All these are merely on paper while in reality the genocide goes on unimpeded in Palestine. The UN is a typical demagogue and a white elephant.

 Palestinians grieve for their dead relatives outside the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on July 20. At least 73 people were killed and around 150 people injured by Israeli gunfire in Gaza while seeking aid that day, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The Israel Defense Forces said that troops had “fired warning shots in order to remove an immediate threat posed to them” after “a gathering of thousands of Gazans was identified in the northern Gaza Strip.” (Saher Alghorra/The New York Times/Redux)

“Adopted in 1948, the UDHR has inspired a rich body of legally binding international human rights treaties. It continues to be an inspiration to us all whether in addressing injustices, in times of conflict, in societies suffering repression, and in our efforts towards achieving universal enjoyment of human rights.”

 

Mr. UN is that what is taking place in Palestine, Lebanon, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, DR Congo, Myanmar and other parts of the globe? What went wrong? And where were you? Apart from condemnations and resolutions what concrete steps are you taking to address these evil acts driven by impunity?

 

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was based on the premise that the atrocities of the Second World War must never ever be allowed to happen again. But here we are. The atrocities in Palestine are not a onetime happening; they have been allowed to go on for over eight decades until the impunity let the evil Benjamin Netanyahu, his American funders and other world leaders graduate to a genocide.

 

It is heart-rending to listen to the American president Donald Trump tell the world that the bloodthirsty Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which gathers the starving Palestinians together in the guise of providing them with the scarce necessities, but instead shoots them dead, is the best for the Palestinians.

 

Then comes the British Prime Minister Keir Rodney Starmer who declares to the world that he is going to recognise the Palestinian state but then criminalises and arrests those showing solidarity with the Palestinians who are enduring the genocide.

 

Hail the demagogues posing as world leaders! Samah Matar holds her malnourished son Ameer, who has cerebral palsy, at a school where their family is taking shelter in Gaza City on July 24. (Mahmoud Issa/Reuters)

By this time, every leader and nation of integrity should have cut ties with the Genocideur Israel. Failure to act, especially when you are in a position to do so, is to be complicit in the genocide.

 

One cannot fail to appreciate those voices that continue to rise above this global anarchy to demand for systems and institutions that promote harmony. Religious leaders, university students and lecturers, journalists and some world leaders continue to express their resolve to bring about a just world.

 

Many Israeli continue to come up and shame Benjamin Netanyahu- the Adolph Hitler of today- and Donald Trump that indeed Jews and Palestinians can live along-side each other. They are breaking away from the satanic Nazi-like mentality that Palestinians must be annihilated. That is what all people of integrity are calling for: to permanently solve this decades long dehumanisation of Palestinians by implementing the two-states option with Palestine and Israel existing alongside the other.

 

The continuation of Israel’s genocide in Palestine is due to the coming together of the moral failings of the so-called developed countries. Nazi Germany, Italy, USA have decided to form a coalition of the evil to fan the genocide. The coalition of good led by Spain, Ireland and Denmark must be given all the support they need to bring an end to this axis of evil pursuing the annihilation of Palestinians.

 

While voices demanding for policies and institutions that have humanity at heart grow louder, the temptation to think that Genocideurs, kleptocrats and criminals can at the same time be agents of peace must never be entertained. That is the fool’s illusion.

 

Mohammed al-Mutawaq, an 18-month-old Palestinian boy with medical issues and signs of malnutrition, lies on a mattress inside a tent at the Al-Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City on July 25. (Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto/Getty Images)

A critical analysis of Donald Trump’s actions shows that he is instead creating more problems than he is actually solving. He is a hypocrite and a criminal driven by hatred and vengeance. It defeats logic to look up to the clumsy Donald Tariffs Trump for peace, development and stability, not only in America but the world at large.

 

In January 2025, soon after returning to the White House, he removed all the sanctions on individual and groups of Israel settlers deemed dangerous to humanity. Today they are back murdering and expanding illegal settlements. 

 

 Clumsy Trump later pulled America out of the Paris Climate Agreement but this is not the solution to the climate change crisis. Were this to be the solution then the LA fires and the Texas floods that claimed the lives of 21 children, among other deaths, would not have taken place. Reducing emissions to minimise climate change is best option expected from people like Trump. Denials simply complicate the tragedy yet the world is looking for solutions to the challenges that bedevil humanity.

 

 

This is a wakeup call to the Americans that time is running out for them to get rid of Trump and his evil administration if they are to continue enjoying the fruits of their hard earned democracy and freedoms. Even the Israelis have a noble duty to get rid of savage Netanyahu and his evil clique if they are to distance themselves from the genocide. Americans and Israelis have that power and must put it to use for a stable and prosperous world and future generations. Why should you own a genocide belonging to some dishonest and evil individuals saturating the world with hatred, evil and anarchy?

 

 

When greed consumes the powerful and the so-called developed nations,  human dignity is trampled upon. Even the demise of these innocent souls cannot move them to action. 

The Middle East gluttons, scrambling for the blood-stained dollars, continue to   revel in the satanic Ibrahim Accords while their “brothers” are subjected to gas chambers, deliberate and systematic starvation, displacements, day and night indiscriminate bombings and maiming. These gluttons have decided to join America, Israel, Germany, Britain and other cursed and evil entities consumed by hatred to reduce Palestinians to guinea pigs. Shame!!

 

Even the UN has conspired to allow Adolph Hitler to once again walk on our beautiful home!!

 

 Eighty-six years ago Pope Pius XII made an impassioned appeal to the world to watch out against such greed and destruction but his voice was not heeded to. Pope Leo XIV, just like his other predecessors, is continuing with the preaching of peace and respect for human dignity.

 

“It is by the force of reason, not the force of arms, that justice makes its way. Empires not founded on justice are not blessed by God. Politics divorced from morality betrays those who promote it.”

 

Pope Pius XII in prayer. The Roman Catholic Church recognised the state of Palestine on June 26, 2015 but with the genocide raging on in Palestine, Nazi Germany still has the audacity to bar those willing to find concrete and just answers to the suffering of humanity.  VATICAN NEWS Photo.

Yes, eighty-six years ago but Pope Pius XII’s words continue to haunt the world. Then, on September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland and triggered the World War II. This led to six years of global conflict. Nazi Germany today is again playing a prominent role in the Israel genocide in Palestine.

 

While some nations and individuals pride themselves in being architects of evil in our common home, let those of us still having a conscience raise our voices to condemn and bring to an end the Israel genocide in Palestine. The peace that resides in us should embrace our common home.