Posted on 07/14/2006 7:51:25 AM PDT by dinoparty
Vatican condemns Israel for attacks on Lebanon VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican on Friday strongly deplored Israel's strikes on Lebanon, saying they were "an attack" on a sovereign and free nation.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano said Pope Benedict and his aides were very worried that the developments in the Middle East risked degenerating into "a conflict with international repercussions."
"In particular, the Holy See deplores right now the attack on Lebanon, a free and sovereign nation, and assures its closeness to these people who already have suffered so much to defend their independence," he told Vatican Radio.
Israel struck Beirut airport again on Friday and bombed Lebanese roads, power supplies and communication networks in a widening campaign after Hizbollah guerrillas seized two Israeli soldiers and killed eight.
Sodano said the Vatican condemned both "terroristic attacks" and military reprisals.
Hizbollah, which wants to trade its captives for prisoners held in Israel, has showered rockets across the frontier in its fiercest bombardment since 1996 when Israel launched a 17-day blitz against southern Lebanon and Hizbollah. ADVERTISEMENT
But Sodano reserved his harshest words for Israel.
"The right of defence on the part of a state does not exempt it from its responsibility to respect international law, particularly regarding the safeguarding of civilian populations," he said.
See post #34
I wonder why this is not breaking.
It's because the moderators on this forum put it in FrontPage. Breaking is only for urgent stories and details. Look at what's under breaking.
I'm not sure its all that important.
Last time I checked, Israel was a "free and sovereign state" and its civilian population is under attack.
This morning, my son-in-law drove back to Safed to pick up some items for the children, he saw rockets falling all along the road. Thank G-D he was not hit.
What are Israelis supposed to do to satisfy the EU and the Pope, sit on their hands?
This statement can't be right.
If Lebanon is a free and sovereign nation and such rocket attacks came from that free and sovereign nation then the ancient common law of nations says that that free and sovereign nation should be subject to a counterattack.
If Lebanon could not have prevented the rocket attacks, then it is not a free and sovereign nation at all.
This kind of approach is delusional. Hezbollah is more powerful than any kind of armed force the Lebanese government could muster to throw them out. The notion that the Lebanese government could simply have thrown Hezbollah out of Lebanon is about as silly as the notion that the government of Texas could order the U.S. military to vacate Fort Hood.
"The Jews were "chosen" to be the vessel through which the Messiah would come. Do you believe that Jesus is the Messiah? I do - and the pope does. Most Jews do not, so it's wrong to say that they are part of the pope's flock. I think Jews would take offense at your suggestion that they are part of the Christian flock."
Christ also came for the Jews first while He was on earth and wanted to gather them as a "hen gathers his flock." It grieved Him that He was rejected. Prophecy says that Israel recognizes the Messiah in the end-times. Whether they do at this precise moment is immaterial to me. I believe God that they will accept the Messiah so to me, we are all one "flock" period.
If that was the reason for his concern, then he should have said to Israel 'try to be careful of the Catholics.' Or maybe he should have told the Catholics in Lebanon 'get out and come to Rome until things settle down.'
But to condemn Israel for going after those who kidnap their soldiers and attack them is simply wrong.
When was the last time the pope made a public statement condemning the terrorist attacks against Israel?
"Ah, there's the rub. Are you saying that the government of Lebanon ordered the kidnapping of these soldiers? I haven't even heard the Israeli government claim that. This is more like a raid by a Poncho Villa-style terrorist organization. When that happened to the US, the army went after the bandits - we didn't go to war against the entire Mexican nation."
Perfect example.
In the not too distant future, I would suspect that someday the Vatican is going to be surrounded by Moslem hoards. Then St. Peter's will become another Hagia Sophia.
Thanks for posting the English translation of the statement. Note: Your translation is denoted as numero 1:
Al-reuters didn't bother to translate the entire statement.
http://212.77.1.245/news_services/bulletin/news/18629.php?index=18629&lang=en
DICHIARAZIONE DELL’EM.MO CARD. ANGELO SODANO, SEGRETARIO DI STATO, SULLA SITUAZIONE IN MEDIO ORIENTE
Questa mattina, l’Em.mo Card. Angelo Sodano, Segretario di Stato, ha rilasciato alla Radio Vaticana la seguente dichiarazione:
Le notizie che ci giungono dal Medio Oriente sono certamente preoccupanti.
Il Santo Padre Benedetto XVI e tutti i Suoi Collaboratori seguono con particolare attenzione gli ultimi drammatici episodi che rischiano di degenerare in un conflitto con ripercussioni internazionali.
1. Come in passato, anche la Santa Sede condanna sia gli attacchi terroristici degli uni sia le rappresaglie militari degli altri. Infatti, il diritto alla difesa da parte di uno Stato non esime dal rispetto delle norme del diritto internazionale, soprattutto per ciò che riguarda la salvaguardia delle popolazioni civili.
2. In particolare, la Santa Sede deplora ora l’attacco al Libano, una Nazione libera e sovrana, ed assicura la sua vicinanza a quelle popolazioni, che già tanto hanno sofferto per la difesa della propria indipendenza.
Ancora una volta appare evidente come l’unica via degna della nostra civiltà sia quella del dialogo sincero fra le Parti in causa.
[01072-01.01] [Testo originale: Italiano]
The Vatican is wrong.
With all due sympathy to those in Lebanon who do not support terrorism, if the government of Lebanon can neither expel or control Hezbollah, they are neither sovereign nor free.
In the past 100 years, yes.
But aren't we changing the subject here? Or is this a case of any stick will do to beat a dog?
I am sure the Vatican is in communication with the Bishops in Lebanon.
I'm not sure its all that important.
I disagree. A major western religious order comes out against action towards a taliban-like government that is promoting terrorism. puhleeez.
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