Vatican says Israel "humiliating" Palestinians

Reuters ^ | 03 Apr 2002 | Staff

[wheezer]

I appreciate the Vatican's message and think it's important to establish that not all Christians accept that they are somehow required by God to assume a posture of timid subserviance towards the goals and actions of Isreal (as Falwell, Robertson, and Bauer seem to promote).

[grammymoon]

I think it is time for the Holy Father to get some needed rest. Humiliating?????
As a catholic, I am humiliated that our Pope doesn't see fit to comment on the humiliation of Israelis being blown to bits by the filthy palentinians.

[MinuteGal]

Moral equivalancy reigns supreme!

I wonder if the Holy Father is still in total control. I saw him on TV on Easter and he looks frighteningly debilitated.

However, if he is still clear-thinking, I sincerely wonder how this old warrior's well-known fight against the evil communist regime in Poland and his steadfast resolution and actions to overthrow it reconciles with his position regarding the evil Palistinian terrorist regime today.

Leni

[KirkandBurke]

Yes they did, but the deal wasn't consumated. I would be concerned about the land between and the further possibility of hostilities intended to conquer a land bridge between the coast and the West Bank. And yes, the long stated position of the Palestinians was/is that the state of Israel should not exist. Considering that, an independent Palestinian nation could be a greater danger to Israel. They would likely organize a formal military. The portent of that is very dark.

[Iscool]

The Pope seems to have picked the wrong side here...In view of the fact that the Bible states that Jesus will again descend from heaven, sit on His throne to rule in the city of David (Jerusalem), AND, that Arafat and most all Arabs thru-out the world want noting less than to destroy All Israelis, in and outside of Jerusalem, I would suggest the Pope spend a little more time reading the Bible...

If the Palestinians get their way, we (the Pope included) will be praying to Allah instead of GOD...

[KirkandBurke]

You make my point. This stance causes a disconnect between you and the church leadership.

[keeper53]

I hope you are kidding...Israel isn't blowing up people almost daily. This is self defense. Don't you see the Palestinians cause is,for the most part, the same as Al queda,Hamas, Hezbollah,etc.?It appears that Islam cannot tolerate Jews. Catholics should be outraged with their church supporting the Palestinians,IMHO... keeper

[Sabramerican]

"humiliations"

Where's the Duck?

Wasn't there a TV show where if you said today's magic word a duck came down?

Nice to see the Vatican picking up the Arab's talking points.

[AmishDude]

What is really strange is that T-B's position is never found in the liberal press. Anywhere. Even before Bush started being blamed for inaction for purely political reasons, the liberal assertion has always been more talking. Even now that we have evidence that Arafat specifically broke the terms of the Oslo accord.

Of course, it could be that somebody's borrowed his computer!

[krodriguesdc]

But, John Paul II, unlike George W. Bush, has met with Arafat on numerous occasions and has some affinity for the Palestinians.

The Pope has affinity for all people...

he is a man of peace...

[ltlflwr]

Read this similar post. Our Holy Father does condemn terrorism.

Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the Holy See's position expressed in the meetings includes an "unequivocal condemnation of terrorism, from whichever side it comes," and a disapproval of the "conditions of injustice and humiliation imposed on the Palestinian people" as well as reprisals that it said "only increase the sense of frustration and hatred."

Just had to clear that up.

[KirkandBurke]

Crazy as it may sound, nations do have official ambassadors to the Vatican.

[goodnesswins]

BUMP to what YOU said....

[rbmillerjr]

You make my point. This stance causes a disconnect between you and the church leadership

For those who look to the Catholic Church for all things, this is probably the case. I do not. The Catholic Church is entirely there for my spiritual needs. If it isnt related to the teachings of Christ, I'm frankly not interested. And I'm not interested in a social or political interpretation of what Jesus Christ said by any cleric.

[krodriguesdc]

it seems that we have a lot of anti-christians on this site...

[Robe]

As a Christian I would undoubtly fair better under Isreali control than a in a Islamic state, if I would be allowed to live at alll.

[sinkspur]

Sinkspur: what is going on here with these statements?

We've seen over 50 Israelis (and Israeli Arabs) killed by suicide bombers in the last week, and the Pope only speaks when the man who instigated the terrorism is trapped like a cornered rat.

Instead of calling on the "Arab League" to stop the suicide bombers, why doesn't he call on his buddy Arafat?

Must be a bunch of Arabists in the Vatican.

[MoJo2001]

It's amazing the Vatican has time to COMPLAIN about ISRAEL when they've got some CHILD MOLESTERS that they've just now taken a "stand" against. The Vatican's can take their opinion and stick it where the sun doesn't shine. How about opening those darn vaults?? I wonder if there are a lot of "hidden treasures" that got there during the Nazi years. I've lost respect for the Vatican, but I still believe that Catholics are to be valued. I'm irritated with these babbling robed idiots!

[KirkandBurke]

I'm quizzical about the whole thing myself. Is the Pope merely standing up for human dignity or is he taking sides? He has stated opposition to all terrorism before, which would include Palestinian terrorism. But, is he stating a loss of confidence in Israel here? First the EU and then the Vatican? The US may end up as the sole Israeli ally.