Easter Sunday Hypocrisy: Christian Leaders Are Silent on Gaza

Source: George Galloway

George Galloway’s brief but powerful monologue is a forceful indictment of Christian complicity and political hypocrisy. He urges religious leaders to break their silence, show empathy for Palestinians, and stand against what he views as state-sanctioned violence cloaked in religious and political alliances. His commentary appeals to both moral conscience and spiritual duty, emphasizing the isolation of the oppressed and the obligation of leaders to speak out.

Key Points

1. Astonishment at Christian Silence on Zionism
   • Galloway begins by acknowledging the clear and moving introduction delivered by someone from Massachusetts, a state with a large Irish-American and Catholic population.
   • He expresses disbelief at the almost complete silence from American Christians regarding what he describes as an “insane chasing after the most extreme political ideology of Zionism.”
   • He criticizes the fact that not only is this ideology largely unchallenged by American Christians, but it is enthusiastically supported by many of their political and religious leaders.
2. Kissing the Ass of Benjamin Netanyahu
   • Galloway sarcastically remarks that instead of expressions of compassion, he sees “one avowedly Christian political leader after another” on their knees, metaphorically “kissing the ass of Benjamin Netanyahu”—a pointed critique of Christian political leaders' unwavering support for Israeli policies.
3. Criticism of Religious Leadership
   • Galloway demands to know: “Where are the bishops? Where are the cardinals?”
   • He names specific locations—Boston, Massachusetts, Los Angeles, New York—where he believes religious leaders should be speaking out.
   • He condemns their silence in the face of atrocities committed against Palestinian Christians, accusing them of failing to utter even a “word of pity and sympathy.”
4. Challenge to the Legitimacy of the ‘Jewish State'
   • He expresses discomfort with the term “Jewish state,” stating that it is not a label he accepts, but that it is how the state of Israel refers to itself.
   • Galloway strongly condemns what he describes as massacres of Palestinians, arguing that these are carried out under the banner of the Jewish state without any rebuke or resistance from Christian leaders.
5. Praise for Pope Francis
   • In a rare moment of approval, Galloway acknowledges Pope Francis as the sole prominent Christian figure showing moral leadership.
   • Despite the Pope’s physical frailty—described as being in a wheelchair and struggling with speech—Galloway notes that every night at 8:00 p.m., Pope Francis personally calls the Holy Family Church in Gaza to speak with the local Christian congregation.
   • This gesture is presented as a true act of spiritual and moral solidarity, in contrast to the silence of many others.