Pope's urging brings Gaza blockade to forefront

The Christian Science Monitor ^ | May 13, 2009 | Ilene R. Prusher & Safwat Al-Kahlout

[grand wazoo]

With no clear guidelines for what Israel will allow in, aid groups have run into trouble with everything from 90 tons of pasta to nutritional bars mistranslated as steel bars.

Though the rockets and shells have fallen quiet in Gaza since the January war with Israel, the prices of cooking fuel and many foods have skyrocketed. Due to both the war's aftermath and the tight restrictions Israel enforces at the checkpoints on Gaza's border, many Gazans are tightening their belts – literally.

...................

The Israeli blockade of Gaza, which has served as a way to pressure Hamas since the militant group seized power in 2007, has until recently has been out of the international spotlight. But now it is moving to the forefront of pressing Israeli-Palestinian issues.

Pope Benedict XVI, during his visit to Bethlehem on Wednesday, specifically mentioned the plight of Gazans, telling them: "Please be assured of my solidarity with you in the immense work of rebuilding which now lies ahead and my prayers that the embargo will soon be lifted."

A week ago United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon also called for an end to the ban, which prevents all but the most basic supplies from entering Gaza, saying it was "unacceptable."

Under increasing international pressure on Israel to change its policy regarding shipments into the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to promise US President Barack Obama when they meet next week that Israel will remove all restrictions on foodstuffs headed for Gaza, aides said.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Numbers tell a different story. The OPC is but one among several reformed Protestant denominationss which are growing daily, planting new churches, welcoming new congragants, enjoying God's grace.

Whereas the RCC is losing members left and right. Parochial schools and seminaries are closing. RC property is being sold to shopping mall developers.

Ten percent of current Roman Catholics say they are planning to leave the church after the recent pederast priest scandals and the pope's complicity in them.

Progress.

[NordP]

I read what was the text on the post - I commented on what I read.

You asked me a question. I answered your question posting the text I originally read on the post.

Thank you for your clarification to something I couldn't know. If the Pope had prayers for the embargo to be lifted, and that seems to be in agreement with the terrorists....I've got concerns.

[Natural Law]

"Numbers tell a different story."

Do they really? Like Truman said; there are lies, damned lies and statistics. Even if your numbers were true, which they aren't you would be basing your presumed superiority on a measure to which secular socialism is your rival and Islam infinitely your superior.