Posted on 06/01/2010 1:31:29 PM PDT by James C. Bennett
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican deplored the "useless loss of life" in an assault by Israeli commandos on a flotilla of ships taking aid to the Gaza Strip.
In a written statement released May 31, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, called the incident "a very painful event" that church officials were following closely.
In Gaza, the parish priest, Father Jorge Hernandez, said June 1 would be "a day of mourning in the Strip. All of Gaza will stop. There will be demonstrations, some of which are already under way in various parts of the city and throughout Gaza. The climate here is heavy and the risk of an escalation of violence is very real, which is why we are calling for caution and prudence."
At least 10 people were killed when Israeli special forces boarded the ships in the early morning hours May 31 in an attempt to stop the vessels from reaching the Palestinian territory of Gaza. Dozens were wounded in the ensuing fight between Israeli commandos and activists on the ship.
The eight-vessel flotilla, bearing building materials, medications and other aid materials, was formed to try to breach the three-year-old blockade of Gaza enforced by the Israeli military. The commandos raided the ship while it was in international waters.
In his statement, Father Lombardi said: "This is a very painful event, particularly for the useless loss of human life. The situation is being followed in the Vatican with great attention and concern."
He said that the Catholic Church is always opposed to violence "no matter where it comes from" because "it always makes efforts for peaceful solutions more difficult."
Pope Benedict XVI will "constantly reiterate the message of peace," especially on his June 4-6 visit to Cyprus, Father Lombardi said. Pope Benedict is expected to address the difficulties of the Christian communities in the Middle East.
Father Hernandez told the Italian bishops' news agency, SIR, that it was a tragedy that the attacks occurred during the May 29-June 4 World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel, promoted by the World Council of Churches.
"I do not know how to express our disappointment in such a thing, which should have and could have been avoided," the priest said. "Israel said that it would block every attempt to reach Gaza. Israel has the means to prevent and control these situations. It was not necessary to arrive at the point of killing, and now the risk is that the violence will lead to more violence. There already are people talking about vengeance and reprisals."
The assault received widespread international condemnation. A statement issued by the U.N. Security Council deplored the violence and called for "a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation conforming to international standards."
The Israeli government said that its commandos acted in self-defense and that they were attacked when they boarded the ship via helicopter after the flotilla ignored warnings to change course.
"The intent of the militants was violent, the methods they employed were violent, and unfortunately, the result was violent," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Footage released by the Israeli Defense Forces showed a cache of clubs, knives and bags of marbles which it said was used to attack the commandos, whom it said were armed only with paint guns and personal weapons.
In a statement, the Jerusalem Inter-Church Center condemned "in the strongest language possible the irresponsible actions perpetrated by the Israeli forces against civilian participants of the Freedom Flotilla." It called on people to take action that would see Israel adhere to international norms by ending the siege on Gaza and as well as its military occupation of the Palestinian territories.
"It is only through ending the unjustifiable ongoing military occupation of another people's land that true peace can emerge," they said. "It is tragic that no serious interventions were made from third parties to avoid such a tragic end for a good human action. The result of silence is death."
The United States and many other countries have called for an investigation into the incident. Turkey condemned Israel and recalled its ambassador. The ship in question was Turkish and most of the dead and wounded are apparently Turkish, reports said.
In a May 31 interview with Vatican Radio, Father Hernandez called the attack "a crime that could have been avoided" because, he said, "it was possible to have acted peaceably."
The Israeli of blockade of the Gaza Strip, Father Hernandez said, has produced a situation in which "the lack of nearly any product has made prices soar to the sky. Medicine and other necessary goods are extremely costly. The situation has been getting worse day by day."
He said that he feared an increase of violence in the region as a result of the attack on the ship because "violence begets violence; evidently there will be consequences to this."
The Vatican exorcist is right in that the devil is living among the faithful at the Vatican.
The Vatican priest should stick to what they know...take it where you wish.
Will Nuns be next? They were so helpful to the left in stealing our private healthcare and earnings.
Just by being a Christian in plain sight and available to bring the sacraments to the Gazans, he’s a positive presence. If you suspect he supports terrorists, I’m guessing you know nothing about the way priests live and work. He doesn’t have to be actively converting the muzzies: FYI the community of Palestinian Christians is 2,000 years old. There are those who’d like to see it extinguished. I am not one of them.
As for who started it, Hamas is an islamist organization; political violence among Palestinian Christians is extremely rare.
Treating ordinary people like caged animals without rights is no way to achieve peace. Of course I realize the most extreme advocates of Israel don’t want peace. They want victory through ethnic cleansing. It’s sad and shameful.
Ya know...I was raised Catholic...and this time the Vatican and Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, needs to “SHUT THE DAMNED PIE HOLE”.
The Israelis have the complete and total RIGHT to defend their country, their border, their sea lanes as they see fit.
The muzzie trash would kill every Catholic, every Jew, every Protestant they can get their hands on. From the video I saw, these scumbag terrorists were dragging the Israeli commandos off the rappeling ropes and beating the batsnot out of them; the Israelis exercised MORE restraint than I would havem, had I been the commander on the scene - to my mind, this is why God invented helicopter DOOR GUNNERS.
This is what happens when you try to run a blockade. The Muzzie trash were setting this up for an incident, and they got it. Too bad the Israelis didn’t hose them into the ocean with some 7.62 SAW fire.
If the Vatican sides with ANYONE, it should be Israel.
There... I feel better already.
Was that wrong? Was that harsh? Was that mean? Do I care?
“political violence among Palestinian Christians is extremely rare.”
A lie. The arab Christians (the Philistines were Greek) lined up with their tribesmen against the Jewish people and were active in terrorism against Jewish people. They have since learned their mistake as the muslims now turn on them.
“Treating ordinary people like caged animals without rights is no way to achieve peace.”
I agree. And no one but liars and idiots think the Gazan arabs are treated like caged animals. There is plenty of food, materials, and opportunity in Gaza. They’d have unfettered right to travel -— as they used to have -— until they started killing their Jewish neighbors.
“Of course I realize the most extreme advocates of Israel don’t want peace. They want victory through ethnic cleansing.”
A viscious lie from an evil person. Israel has tried to have a two-state solution since 1948. The arabs will be satisfied with nothing but the death of all Jewish people.
Truth is, if the arabs put down their weapons today, there would be peace.
If the Jewish people put down their weapons, they would be killed.
“Truth is, if the arabs put down their weapons today, there would be peace....If the Jewish people put down their weapons, they would be killed...”
As would the rest of us.
Anyone out here remember the statement the Muzzie made to the effect of “We’ll get the Saturday People first, and then the Sunday People”???
They’re at WAR with the world; anyone who isn’t Moslem.
Israel wants to be left alone. They have that right. As we all do. But as with ANY right, you only have it if you’re willing to DEFEND it. By any means necessary.
It makes you wonder whether the Vatican press corps has been hanging out with the very liberal secular press corps for a long time. Your associates will have an effect on your thinking after a while.
The war that is being waged on Israel is a war of propaganda. I think that sometimes people fail to understand the full power of propaganda. I think Shakespeare understood it when he said; “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Let’s hope that Israel and the United States can get the upper hand in this propaganda war.
Did you just say that the Israelis want victory through ethnic cleansing? If that were the case, the Israelis could have wiped out the Palestinians fifty years ago. Don’t you think the Israelis have enough bombs to wipe out the population of Gaza? The only ethnic cleasing there is is being perpetrated by the Palestinians. And since the city of Bethlehem has been under the Palestinian authority, many of the city’s Christians have been driven out of Bethlehem through religious cleasing by the Moslems. The Jews did not abuse the Christian population, the Palestinians did. This has also happened in Lebanon and Egypt. The Israelis are not perfect as no country is but they are a civilized country.
Emphasis mine. :-)
Next time, please specify that you’re refering to the LIBS in the Vatican, or else you’ll be castigating the WHOLE Vatican.
“...Let’s hope that Israel and the United States can get the upper hand in this propaganda war....”
It won’t happen while we have communist assclowns running COngress and the WH.
thats why i dont run a country, cause id have sunk the damned ship and beat the survivors with pipes...
“...cause id have sunk the damned ship and beat the survivors with pipes....”
The only sound you’d hear from me is “Brrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaapppp”....
In other words, the sounds of a GAU-2C mounted in the door of the chopper...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4ZYWaawipY
Peace through Superior Firepower
Enjoy!
An infantile view of world.
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