“For five weeks we have witnessed a ruthless war, made even more lethal by the increasing automation of remote killing,” the Archbishop of Marseille warned in an interview with La Tribune Dimanche.

In his view, halting the ongoing violence depends solely on the value of dialogue and diplomacy, and on respect for International Law, which has been violated for years by leaders who use the force of arms with contempt for the rights of peoples.

“Those who start wars are rarely the ones who die in them,” he stated.

Aveline believes that Christian communities in the Middle East play a role in promoting peace, something he said he would confirm in August 2025 during a trip to the Holy Land.

The French religious leader also addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies.

The security of any people, whoever they may be, cannot be achieved by fomenting hatred toward another, he emphasized.

Aveline offered a thought for the thousands of Palestinians killed by Israel in bombings of the Gaza Strip and condemned the abuses committed by some settlers in the occupied West Bank.

Regarding a possible visit by Pope Leo XIV to France, he noted that he had recently discussed the matter with the Pontiff and expressed his hopes for the visit.

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