Vatican praises Arafat for Palestinian vision

ABC News ^ | 11-11-04

[SJackson]

The Vatican has praised Yasser Arafat as a charismatic leader who struggled to win independence for his people, and repeated its support of a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Pope John Paul, who last met Arafat in 2001, retreated into private prayer when he was told of the death of the Palestinian leader earlier on Thursday in Paris, a Vatican source said.

The Pope, who made a historic trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories in 2000, sent a message saying he was particularly close to the Palestinian people "in this hour of sadness".

The 84-year-old Pope's message said he prayed that the "star of harmony" would soon bring peace to the Holy Land and that both Israelis and Palestinians could live "reconciled among themselves as two independent and sovereign states".

Earlier, a statement by the Vatican's chief spokesman called Mr Arafat the "illustrious deceased" and asked God to grant eternal rest to his soul.

"The Holy See joins the pain of the Palestinian people for the passing of President Yasser Arafat. He was a leader of great charisma who loved his people and tried to guide them towards national independence," said the statement by chief spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls.

The official statement was bound to displease Israel because it made no mention of militant attacks, which the Jewish state blamed on Mr Arafat and insists must stop before the stalled peace process can get back on track.

In recent years the Vatican continued to recognise Mr Arafat as the legitimate leader of the Palestinians after Washington and Israel had written him off.

But Vatican officials privately criticised him for what one called "jumping off the peace train".

"There is no doubt that he was a towering figure for his people but his great mistake was not to sign on at Camp David," a senior Vatican prelate told Reuters.

"That was a great failure and a lot of problems stemmed from that," he said. "He missed his date with history."

At a US-brokered a peace summit in 2000 both sides came close to a final accord that would have established an independent Palestinian state, but the talks broke down over the status of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees.

Washington and Israel blamed Mr Arafat for the failure.

Over the past four years, the Vatican's improvement in relations with the Palestinian Authority coincided with a deterioration of relations with Israel.

The Pope repeatedly criticised Israeli incursions into Palestinian territories and last November, the Vatican was shocked when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon came to Rome for several days but did not ask to see the Pope.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Thought you might be interested in post #283--TTS.

Thanks. The post is most appreciated.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of rightwingers who oppose Communism elsewhere but would love to see Arab Communists destroy Israel as "revenge" for "Jewish Bolshevism."

The late, unlamented Francis Parker Yockey (yimach shemo vezikhro!) supported Communist anti-Zionism full-throttle.

[TapTheSource]

"The late, unlamented Francis Parker Yockey (yimach shemo vezikhro!) supported Communist anti-Zionism full-throttle."

So did Ben Gurion, Y. Rabin, etc...both of which had Bolshevik backgrounds, and did all they could to prevent the founding of Israel. Thank God for the Irgun!!!

[Zionist Conspirator]

Actually, Billy Graham has a lot to answer for as well. It's sort of off topic, but does anyone remember when Billy Graham snubbed the Siberian Seven episode and then went on to proclaim to the world that religious freedom existed in the Soviet Union!!!???

You're right, of course.

The point I'm trying to make is that Dr. Graham represents an ethno-culture which World Chr*stendom hates as much as it did the ancient Jewish-chr*stians. Despite that he came as close to world fame as any representative of this culture ever has, he will be ignored by people who prefer old, ossified, inbred ethno-liturgical chr*stianity and whose only words to this culture are of contempt and condemnation.

[TapTheSource]

"Thanks. The post is most appreciated."

I thought I'd draw your attention to that post as an illustration to show that Russian strategy re: the Middle East has not changed a bit (well maybe a little, as they have at least temporarily lost Iraq...but that could change four years from now).

[Zionist Conspirator]

So did Ben Gurion, Y. Rabin, etc...both of which had Bolshevik backgrounds, and did all they could to prevent the founding of Israel. Thank God for the Irgun!!!

'Amein ve'amein!

Bekhol dor vador Yehoshu`a Bin Nun `od chay! Kahana' tzadaq!!!

[MattGarrett]

Imagine his reaction when he got to St. Peter's gate ...

[TapTheSource]

"Despite that he came as close to world fame as any representative of this culture ever has, he will be ignored by people who prefer old, ossified, inbred ethno-liturgical chr*stianity and whose only words to this culture are of contempt and condemnation."

You hit the nail on the head. I would only add that the people and powers that you refer to do everything in their power to beat down our resolve and demoralize us. We need look no further than the Pope's comments re: Arafat's (much deserved) death as a case in point.

[TapTheSource]

"'Amein ve'amein!...Bekhol dor vador Yehoshu`a Bin Nun `od chay! Kahana' tzadaq!!!"

Sorry, I can't read Hebrew. I'll just assume you are in agreement!

[Zionist Conspirator]

That is so funny!

[antceecee]

Re-read my previous post.... nope it's not patronizing in the least.
You, on the otherhand are quite patronizing. You prefer to disregard who and what Arafat truly was. You do them more of a disservice than I . You think your hugs compensate for the sons and daughters they sacrificed to suicide missions in Arafat's cause? You want to feel their grief??? (Calling Bill Clinton, biting lip, tear in eye). And by the way I don't think they are stupid which is precisely why they are capable of being told the hard truth by the world instead of these ridiculous diplomatic overtures at repainting Arafat as a hero.
As far as your last comment "an expression of sympathy for people grieving would be unexceptional.":
Their grief is our joy. (Refer to previous post: photo of Palestinian woman celebrating the deaths of America on Sept. 11, 2001 - yeah, it's kind of like that). The world has one less "evil-doer" (to take a word from our President) to worry about.
Don't forget that while you are hugging them and kissing their @sses they're deciding on the new Terrorist-in-Chief that can lead them to victory over the 'infidel' (oh, that means us).

[AlbionGirl]

You are so right.

Why was the Vatican not able to just issue a blanket, non-descript sympathy statement? I would have preferred what you indicated, that they issue a statement praying for his soul, but admonishing his cruel and barbarous reign. And another thing (not that this is the Vatican's responsibility), nobody is talking about the fortune he amassed while his people starved. That also tells who the man really was.

The person I've been thinking of most throughout this he's dead/he's not dead season is Leon Klinghoffer (hopefully I've got the name right). That poor man who was tossed, wheelchair and all into the sea at the hands of the PLO, and left to die a horrible death. The PLO is straight from the pit of hell.

I continuously try to tell myself that the Vatican is not in need of the fumigation I sometimes think it's in need of. Then another piece appears.

[jwalsh07]

You are so right.

Thanks.:-}

But the PLO was not responsible for the murder of Leon Klinghoffer on the Achille Lauro. That grave sin lies on the heads of the PLF and their leader Abu Abbas. Abu Abbas was killed in Iraq after we invaded and the PLF was decimated despite what the MSM tells us about Saddam having no links to terrorism.

The PLO, of course, is a terrorist organization responsible for the murder of thousands of men, women and children. Click here to understand that Arafat and the PLO did not just hate jews.

[SJackson]

Hope my correction is ok.

Don't waste your time with these irreverent blasphemers. The authenticity of the Torah frightens them, so they've been promoting its literary dissection for over a century millenium.

[SJackson]

You mean something simple, like.

God bless his soul
President Bush

[SJackson]

From an American perspective, I'd date him to the assassination of Cleo Noel and George Moore. Imagine ordering the murder of an American Ambassador, taped by the NSA, and getting a pass.

[Nov3]

I am sickened.

[jwalsh07]

There aren't even very many people on FR who know what Black September and Fatah were and who ran them.

Whose fault is that you ask? Why the MSM, of course.

[Henchman]

The POPE , IMHO, is very ill he was and probably still is being advised by a French Cardinal. As you recall, the Pope warned us against going into Iraq. Why was it OK for millions to be slaughtered by Saddam and to develop WMD? (don''t give me the crap Saddam didn't - 400 Nuke scientists in Lybia and Syria using Gas against Black Africans recently.) No involvement with the scandalous US Bishops, who failed to do their job (enough said). No excommunication of Kerry... and a lot more.

Not knocking the POPE, just ditch the Fr. Cardinal, code name Judas

[Zionist Conspirator]

Don't waste your time with these irreverent blasphemers. The authenticity of the Torah frightens them, so they've been promoting its literary dissection for over a century millenium.

It's amazing how skeptical advocates of transubstantiation and angel worship can be when it comes to the TaNa"KH. J*sus is the "second Adam," only the First Adam didn't exist!!!

These hypocrites deserve the "J*sus Seminar."

[AlbionGirl]

Sorry for the PLO mistake, and thanks for the correction.

I can't make heads nor tails of it:

Hussein is captured, and the Vatican issues a sympathy statement all and only because a tongue depressor was used on him. Whoever the mouthpiece was said something along the lines of 'I felt so bad, he was treated like a cow.'

Meanwhile and prior to, all manner of photos are out there showing Hussein's handiwork with sawing off limbs a plenty. Vivid, undeniable pictures, and unless I missed it, nary a word does the Vatican see fit to put forth. Something stinks there, it's not debatable. And I do love my Church, warts and all, but this kind of stuff is bordering on calling evil, good. To quote whoever that English poet was, 'the center will not hold.'

And I have to confess to a love of Jewish culture and the Jewish people. They have played nothing but defense, and criticism and scorn always seems to be at the ready for them. The crap put forth by Arafat in an attempt to demonize and ultimately lay the ground work for successful elimiation of the Jews from Israel was current, and contemptible, and cannot be assuaged simply by dint of the fact that he's dead.

God Bless America, the good Clergy therein, and most of all the Soldiers who will make sure that the Vatican is afforded the opportunity to continue to miss the point ad infinitum.