Replies

This is from a year ago, when the blockade still had restrictions on food shipments. It’s a tiny bit misleading to imply that this is something that came out post-Mavi Marmara.

Has he made a statement in support of Israel?

Ever?

I apologize for the delay. My 'puter is balking and freezing, and it took me awhile to get this up. But it's interesting. From Pope Benedict's trip to Israel last year:

http://benedictinisrael.blogspot.com/

Scrolling about 1/5 of the way down, respected (by me) American reporter John Allen who has covered the Vatican for years and is pretty savvy, says (long quotes follow):

"... Pope Benedict "is arguably the pope most inclined to be sympathetic to Israel since the Jewish state was founded six decades ago..."

"Benedict XVI thus arrived in Israel not only as a pope committed to theological and spiritual fraternity with Judaism, but also one less instinctively hostile to concrete Israeli policies than many other Catholic leaders.

"Perhaps the point was invisible to most of the Israeli public, but local Palestinian Christians actually complained before, and during, the trip that the pope was 'caving in' to Israeli sensitivities at every turn -- not travelling to Gaza, not protesting when the Israelis refused to allow the residents at Aida to erect the stage immediately below the wall, and not protesting when the Israelis closed down a Palestinian press center in East Jerusalem. Even his schedule reflected deference to Israeli sensibilities. Benedict made sure to fly out of Tel Aviv well before sundown on Friday, so as not to disrupt the Sabbath.

"Most Israeli leaders seemed to recognize this, which is probably why they rushed to Benedict's defense when the criticism began. At the inter-faith event in Nazareth, for example, Bahij Masour, who heads the religious affairs division of Israel's Foreign Ministry, made a point of saying during his introduction that the pope "has clearly condemned anti-Semitism and denial of the Holocaust." Certainly Israel's President, Shimon Peres, went out of his way to be gracious to the pope, including hosting a lavish gala in his honor at the presidential palace in Jerusalem on Tuesday.

"As Israelis sort through the images left behind by the pope's trip, perhaps more of this will become clear."

[An interesting perspective. It seems certain Middle East Christian as well as Muslim people were trying to turn the Pope's visit into a political event critical of the Israeli government, and Benedict not only resisted the pressure, but kept the focus spiritual, as well as gracious to his Israeli hosts.]

Commenting on the Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the Holy Land, the president of Israel, Shimon Peres, said on Wednesday: "The entire message of the Pope is positive and could spark important reflection" (Catholic News Agency).

In an interview with L’Osservatore Romano, Peres said, in order to "have a clear idea of the message left by Benedict XVI," it is "necessary to combine his discourse at the airport" in which he deplored anti-Semitism and encouraged Christians to promote peace, with "the one at Yad Vashem," in which he reiterated the commitment to the Church to denounce all hatred.

Now I'm going to read the rest. There's a lot there.

Nice pic of Pope Benedict between smiling Shimon Peres and Benyamin Netanyahu.

OK, it's almost 10:30. Past my bedtime! G'night, all.