Posted on 12/29/2004 4:37:34 AM PST by white trash redneck
The Vatican newspaper has denounced what it called a decision by the IDF to deny emergency help to disaster victims in Sri Lanka.
Calling for "a radical and dramatic change of perspective" among people "too often preoccupied with making war," L'Osservatore Romano singled out Israeli military leaders for declining a request for emergency medical help.
Contrary to the Vatican report, an Israeli plane carrying 80 tons of food and medical supplies worth $100,000 was set to depart for Sri Lanka Wednesday morning. At the request of the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry, a team of some 150 Israeli medical and security personnel aborted their planned trip to the island nation Tuesday night.
The Vatican paper observed that in what "should be a time for unconditional solidarity," some world leaders seem incapable of escaping a "small-minded approach that restricts their horizons."
The fact that the devastation swept across different societies, cultures, and nations should help to reinforce the universal perspective, the paper suggested. (Jerusalem Post staff and agencies)
Could you give us one example of this? Oh, and at the same time, give us an example of those same Christians condemning the murderous PLO.
what have they dont to help Christians butchered by Muslims across the globe? Nothing. All we hear is papal platitudes about Islam the "great religion". sick.
God forgive the Catholic church for their leading people into darkness.
sorry if this offends any believers. After 12 years of Catholic school... I finally know what God put in the Gospel.
No, I don't. I said perhaps they are blameless.
Then again, maybe they're not. It sounds like it may have been blown out of proportion, though.
Yes, there are some anti-Americans and anti-Zionists in the Curia. But that does not mean that every criticism of Israel or America is entirely without merit. Some are, some aren't.
There is more anti-Catholicism on this board than there is anti-anything at the Vatican, though.
There is more anti-Catholicism on this board than there is anti-anything at the Vatican, though.
Just as every criticism of Israel or America is not entirely without merit, the same holds true of the Vatican.
The problem I see is that the Vatican knows it can get away with criticizing democracies and republics without repercussion to Catholics in those countries.
The same cannot be said of Muslim countries, which is why we rarely see any public utterances against those theocracies by the Vatican.
It's the imbalance that gets folks' dander up, and I can understand it.
When I read your words, a corolary immediately came to mind:
Just because YOU refuse to name something "Israel" doesn't make it so it is not Israel.
I'm surprised at your seeming ignorance of the Israeli harassment of Christian religious personnel working in the Holy Land (searches, denial of visas, etc.), and of its foot-dragging and sabotage with respect to talks concerning the Fundamental Agreement and taxation of religious institutions.
Is that anything like a fig newton?
Obviously. But around here, we have little of the former, and bushels full of the latter.
Sometimes it gets to feeling like a snake-handler convention.
Have you ever been to Israel? I have and you are full of shit. You must have missed the articles on the city of Jerusalem giving out free Christmas trees. There are many practicing Christians there, and they enjoy all the same rights as any other citizens. Or by "systematic and sustained interference with the rights of Christian bodies" do you mean, "they won't let us force them all to convert?
IDF SPOKESPERSON ANNOUNCEMENT December 27th, 2004 IDF
humanitarian and medical delegation leaving for Sri Lanka
An IDF humanitarian and medical delegation will arrive to the area of devastation in Sri Lanka in the wake of the disaster. The delegation will be sent following the decision of the Defense Minister and the IDF Chief of Staff and in coordination with the Foreign Ministry.
The delegation will include approximately 150 rescue and medical personnel including doctors, nurses and paramedics, and will be under the command of the Chief of the Home-Front Command Staff, Brigadier General Avraham Ben David (Benda).
The delegation that will leave on IAF and leased aircraft, will be equipped with medical equipment and supplies, water, food and other equipment such as tents, blankets, mattresses and generators.
A medical facility will be assembled at the location, comprising of specialist doctors, an emergency department, an internal medicine department, a pediatric department as well as laboratory and X-ray facilities.
BTW, the US has anounced sending 10 or 12 naval vessels as well as a contingent of Marines. It's not about the military co-ordination, rather selectivity about who might save your citizens lives, or not.
This is almost unbelievable.
American Catholics need to make their views towards this outrage known, loudly and immediately.
And whoever is making editorial decisions at the Vatican newspaper needs a new post.
A small parish in Sri Lanka would be a good choice of destinations...
Uh, Israel is right to be suspicious of any and evey Palestinian.
As to the other things you mention, yes, I am completely unaware of them. What does any of it have to do with the Vatican's silence on Palestinian's express desire to destroy the state of Israel?
As a fallen-away Catholic I can say that...can't I?
/sarcasm
Ignoring Israeli Kindness
By HonestReporting.com
HonestReporting.com | December 29, 2004
When disaster strikes anywhere in the world, Israelis can be counted on to help. So it's no surprise that within hours of the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean, the following humanitarian missions all departed from the tiny Jewish state:
IDF rescue team on its way to Sri Lanka
-- The Israeli organization Latet ('To Give') filled a jumbo jet with 18 tons of supplies.
-- A medical team headed by four doctors from Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday night (Dec. 27), carrying medicine and baby food. The doctors specialize in rescue operations, trauma and pediatrics.
-- An IDF rescue team is now on its way to Sri Lanka with 80 tons of aid material, including 10,000 blankets, tents, nylon sheeting and water containers, all contributed by the IDF.
-- A ZAKA rescue-and-recovery team arrived in the disaster areas Monday night, armed with its specialized equipment for identifying bodies.
-- A Health Ministry contingent left for Thailand on Monday night to aid in rescue efforts. The group includes doctors, nurses and four members of the IDF.
-- Israel has also offered its assistance to India \ a search-and-rescue team from the Home Front Command, as well as consignments of food and medicine.
Yet, with the exception of UPI (as of this writing - Tues. 4pm EST), none of the major news outlets have dedicated an article to this remarkable Israeli humanitarian effort. This, despite the fact that the IDF sent all Israel-based journalists a press release Monday evening (Dec. 27), inviting them to the airport to cover the departure of one IDF group.
This is all the more surprising given the fact that the major news agencies have entire teams of reporters in Israel, who submit at least one 'Israel-article' each day.
So what did the Associated Press send out today to its 15,000 subscribing news agencies? A dreary story about the construction of a new IDF base near Jenin. AP sarcastically remarked in this 'news' story that the base's 'elaborate color scheme and landscaping shows that the army is not planning to pull its forces out of the area anytime soon.'
The lack of media interest in this Israeli humanitarian effort means that Israeli benevolence toward other peoples is not fairly conveyed to the western world. Perhaps if it were conveyed, observers would come to understand something else -- that Israel's response to Palestinian violence is also motivated by the highest ethical concern for all human life, and is not (as the media so often portray it) driven by an oppressive, mean-spirited national ethos.
HonestReporting encourages subscribers to write a letter to your local paper, praising the massive Israeli humanitarian mission to South Asia -- which the major media have apparently deemed 'not newsworthy.'
Thank you for your ongoing involvement in the battle against media bias.
What the hell is the Vatican talking about? Sri Lanka refused the help, right?
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