Catholic theologians launch initiative to support Israel amid rising anti-Israel sentiment

Two Catholic theologians, Father Antoine Lévy and Dr. André Villeneuve, have initiated "For Zion’s Sake: A Catholic Appeal in Support of Israel." This initiative aims to address and counter what they describe as a disturbing rise in anti-Israel sentiment within Catholic communities, particularly following the events of October 7.

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The trend is not uniquely Catholic; however, it cannot be ignored in the Church and among some prominent adherents.

The theologians argue that this trend often frames opposition to Israel in both political and theological terms. They are pushing back against narratives that combine political accusations, such as apartheid and colonialism, with a form of supersessionism that denies any ongoing theological significance to the Jewish people or the Land of Israel. Villeneuve, a biblical scholar and founder of Catholics for Israel, and Lévy, a Dominican theologian, expressed frustration with Catholic voices that portray opposition to Israel as a moral or even doctrinal imperative.

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The document rejects the notion that the Church has “replaced” Israel.

"For Zion’s Sake" draws heavily on biblical texts from both the Tanach and the New Testament. It explicitly rejects the notion that the Church has "replaced" Israel, affirming what the authors describe as God’s irrevocable covenant with the Jewish people. They highlight the biblical foundation of this covenant and the enduring connection between the Jewish people and the land. Citing Romans 11, the document emphasizes that St. Paul calls the Jewish people the "natural branches" and declares their calling irrevocable, rejecting any "posture of arrogance or condescension."

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We cannot prevent the Jews from going to Jerusalem, but we could never sanction it.... The Jews have not recognized our Lord; therefore we cannot recognize the Jewish people.

Lévy and Villeneuve also addressed historical context, referencing the 1904 meeting between Theodor Herzl and Pope Pius X. Herzl sought Catholic support for a Jewish homeland, but the pope reportedly stated that while he could not prevent Jews from going to Jerusalem, the Church could not sanction it because they had not recognized Jesus. The theologians pointed out that this account, from Herzl’s diary, carries no official Catholic authority and is often misrepresented by anti-Israel activists as timeless doctrine.

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You... constantly find memes online from the anti-Israel activists who constantly bring this up... present[ing] this as the timeless Catholic doctrine, forgetting or omitting that... [the statement attributed to the] pope [comes] from Theodor Herzl’s diary. So, it carries zero authority in Catholic tradition.