Archbishop Giuseppe Baturi

A public dispute between senior Italian bishops has erupted over calls to exclude Israeli novelist Eshkol Nevo from a literary festival in southern Italy, with one archbishop backing a petition against his appearance while others defend dialogue and condemn attempts to silence him A row over the appearance of an Israeli novelist at a literary festival in southern Italy has exposed divisions within the Italian Catholic hierarchy, with senior bishops publicly disagreeing with one another. Archbishop Franco Moscone of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo has been criticised after signing a petition calling on organisers of the Il Libro Possibile festival to reconsider hosting the Israeli writer Eshkol Nevo at an event due to take place in Vieste next month. The petition, addressed to regional authorities and festival organisers, argues that Nevo has not taken a sufficiently clear public stance against the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza. Among its signatories are politicians, activists, academics and clergy, including Archbishop Moscone, whose archdiocese includes one of the festival venues. Speaking to Italian media, the archbishop defended his decision to support the initiative and rejected accusations that it amounted to censorship. “The issue is not that Nevo is Israeli,” His Grace said, arguing instead that intellectuals have a responsibility to speak clearly in the face of injustice. He said the novelist had not shown sufficient “criticism and clarity” regarding the actions of the Israeli government and described the situation in Gaza as a matter that could not be ignored by public figures with influence and visibility. The intervention quickly resulted in backlash from other Church leaders. Archbishop Giuseppe Baturi, Archbishop of Cagliari and Secretary General of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, sought to distance the bishops’ conference from the controversy while defending the principle of open dialogue. In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Archbishop Baturi said: “Peace is not built by preventing those who think differently from speaking, but by creating the conditions for them to be heard.” He stressed that the Italian Bishops’ Conference had “not intervened on the merits of the matter” and said Archbishop Moscone’s decision to sign the appeal was “a personal choice and the exercise of freedom of thought and expression”. “In the Church, personal conscience is not erased, but rather placed within a path of communion,” His Grace said. Addressing the conflict in the Holy Land, Archbishop Baturi echoed recent appeals by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, warning against language that strips people of their humanity. “Violence also stems from language that dehumanises others, and the Church must fight it: denounce violence and terrorism, but not fuel words that make others unrecognisable as human beings,” he said. More critical comments came from Archbishop Carmelo Pennisi of Monreale, who told the Italian daily, La Stampa, that the campaign against the writer was “an act of antisemitism”. The comments have brought into the open disagreements among Italian bishops over how Catholics should respond to the conflict in the Holy Land, which has generated strong reactions across Italy since the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023 and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza. Festival organisers have refused to alter their programme and confirmed that Nevo will participate as scheduled. Rosella Santoro, the artistic director of Il Libro Possibile, said the festival would continue to provide a platform for a wide range of voices and rejected suggestions that writers should be judged according to the policies of their governments. Organisers noted that Nevo has repeatedly spoken publicly in favour of peace and dialogue and has expressed criticism of elements within Israeli politics. They also pointed out that the festival programme includes Palestinian voices and journalists covering the conflict, alongside Catholic representatives involved in interreligious dialogue and peace initiatives. The petition was promoted by activists and public figures in Puglia, including members of left-wing political movements and campaign groups opposed to the war in Gaza. While supporters argue that public figures should take stronger positions against the conflict, critics have questioned why Nevo was singled out given his record of supporting negotiations and criticising aspects of Israeli government policy. Nevo is one of Israel’s most prominent contemporary authors. His novels, translated into numerous languages, have earned an international readership. His best-known works include The Symmetry of Desires, Neuland and Three Floors, the latter adapted for cinema by Nanni Moretti. In recent years he has been associated with demonstrations against the government of Benjamin Netanyahu and has publicly criticised far-right figures within Israeli politics. The disagreement surrounding Nevo’s participation in Il Libro Possibile has become one of the clearest examples of those tensions within the Italian Church. Despite calls for his exclusion, the novelist remains on the programme and is expected to appear in Vieste on 21 July.