ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV acknowledged Wednesday that there had been misunderstandings and conflicts with Jews over Israel’s war in Gaza . But he strongly confirmed the Catholic Church’s condemnation of antisemitism and commitment to fighting it as part of Christians’ Gospel-mandated friendship with the Jewish people.

At a time of rising antisemitism stemming from Israel’s war, Leo adopted as his own the Vatican’s official position abhorring antisemitism as he marked the 60th anniversary of a landmark Vatican document that revolutionized the Catholic Church’s relations with Jews.

Leo dedicated his Wednesday general audience to the anniversary of the “Nostra Aetate” declaration, speaking to a crowd that included several Jewish leaders and representatives of other religions who had come

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