Caritas (Latin) is a term in Christian theology (one of the three theological virtues), meaning loving kindness towards others

Caritas International fails dismally to live up to this. It has joined the angry cries of those who object to Jews defending themselves from attack, and issued an Urgent appeal from Caritas and churches in Gaza.

Hamas is calling on the international community to force Israel to stop defending herself from missile attacks. Caritas and Christian Arabs are adding to this pressure on Israel. Emotional articles, arousing sympathy for the Palestinians while demonizing the Jews, are appearing in the Christian press.

Caritas’s lengthy statement makes much of the sufferings of Palestinians caught up in Israel’s restrained efforts at self-defence. It completely ignores the sufferings of Israelis who are subject to continuous missile attacks and fails to condemn Palestinian terrorists, who, unlike Israelis try to cause as many civilian casualties as possible.

It tries to make much of what appear to be minor inconveniences, pretending they are some kind of ‘humanitarian disaster’. It ignores Israeli efforts to prevent such a disaster. Yesterday, the humane Israelis risked their lives by opening the Karni crossing to allow humanitarian aid.

The crossing was opened on Thursday morning to allow the entry of 100 trucks into the Gaza Strip. It was initially planned to remain open until 6 p.m. Supplies entering the Palestinian territories included medical and food supplies sent by international humanitarian sources.

Typically, the Palestinians tried to abuse this kindness and the crossing had to be closed again due to a terrorist alert.

An earlier trip, last Sunday, brought in the following:

By early Sunday evening, 50 trucks of wheat, corn, meat, cooking oil and other basics had passed through the Karni crossing, according to Captain Jacob Dallal, an Israeli military spokesman. One million liters, or 264,000 gallons, of diesel, 80,000 liters of gasoline and 200,000 tons of natural gas were shipped through the fuel terminal at Nahal Oz, he said.

Caritas is too dishonest to mention this, as it would spoil the propaganda value of their appeal.

If you read through the statement carefully, you will see that the circumstances of the Palestinians, although very trying, are still far better than those of many people in the world who live permanently in real poverty and deprivation. Those poor people’s voices are drowned in the constant loud squawling demands of the Palestinians.

Palestinians receive more aid per head than any other people on the planet – and there are many more needy and more deserving.

Palestinians receive nine times more aid per head than people living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Their average incomes are little more than a quarter of Palestinians'.

Caritas knows this, and yet chooses to contribute to the Palestinian propaganda campaign. They have a bad history of this.

Caritas Internationalis (“Caritas”), a self-described “Catholic agency for overseas aid and development,” devotes much of its activities to being an outspoken cheerleader of the Palestinian cause, while there are few Israeli responses to Palestinian terror that does not “appall,” “affront,” “shock,” or “deeply concern” its sensibilities.

In 2004 the Wiesenthal Center asked the Holy See to “Condemn, as incitement to Middle East-related terrorism, a Caritas campaign poster against the Israeli security fence

Caritas also ignores the problems of poverty facing Israel, where one in three Israeli children are hungry.

Over 400,000 families in Israel suffer from "nutritional insecurity," a euphemistic term for "hunger." 28% of Israeli citizens, or 1,600,000 people are living in poverty. Among them are more than 600,000 hungry children. Those experiencing "nutritional insecurity" eat smaller portions, skip meals and, in extreme cases, don't eat for a whole day. Diets may be high in carbohydrates and lacking or almost devoid of meat, dairy products, vegetables and fruit. In Israel, 22% of families are deemed moderately insecure and 8% suffer from severe insecurity.

Rather than give donations to Caritas, I suggest you click on the above link, and give to the charities for the poor listed there.