Alan Dershowitz brings some clear thinking to the Vatican's curious refusal to condemn terrorism against Israel. He correctly notes that this is tacitly approving of terror attacks against civilians in states that allegedly violate international law. The implications are chilling; this stance should be repudiated by the Vatican immediately. From FrontPage (thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist):
Let us now try to understand the Vatican’s bizarre policy on terrorism. Recently Pope Benedict XVI condemned terrorist attacks against civilians in Great Britain, Egypt, Iraq, and Turkey. In a pregnant omission – very pregnant in light of the Vatican’s long history of silence in the face of attacks against Jews – the Pope omitted any mention of the country that has suffered the largest number of terrorist attacks against civilians since 9/11, namely, Israel. When the Israeli government understandably protested the omission, the Vatican’s position became even more troubling. It singled out Israel for criticism, saying that that beleaguered nation’s responses to attacks against its civilians was “not always compatible with the rules of international law.” It then went on to say that the Vatican could not protest every Palestinian attack against Jewish civilians if Israel did not always follow international law.Let’s try to understand what this means. Unless a country is absolutely flawless in its response to terrorism, the Vatican will not condemn terrorism against its civilian citizens. This seems to justify the killing of civilians as a protest against violation of international law. If that “moral” position is not bizarre enough, let us turn to the actual facts. Egypt’s response to terrorism is far, far more violative of international law than Israel’s. Egypt routinely tortures – I mean really tortures to death – suspected terrorists, to say nothing of mere dissidents. Turkey’s record is not all that much better. The U.S. and Great Britain have killed many more civilians in responding to terrorism in Iraq than Israel has done. So even if the Vatican’s statement of principle were morally acceptable – which it surely is not – that principle would in no way justify leaving Israel off a list that includes many worse violators of international law.
Moreover, the Vatican’s snippy condemnation of Israel for its reprisals is particularly untimely. Israel, unique among nations victimized by terrorism, has refrained from any significant reprisals over the past several months, despite the facts that terrorist attacks against its civilians continue. It has made a point of withholding its right to respond in the interests of facilitating peace.
Well, it's about time Dersowitz showed evidence of 'clear thinking'. I used to watch him on Geraldo's show...a portrait of egoism...Jerry kept kissing Alans arse and Alan ate it up.
In this case, Alan may be on to something.
Dershowitz has had no problem in the past chipping away at Christian values, so now he has the pope in his sights.
As a Catholic and a supporter of Israel’s fight against Terrorism, I do not think that the despicable Dershowitz is the best man to tackle the Vatican over their stance on this issue. On his last trip to Dublin over two years ago I
saw him speak on a topic close to his heart, How we must all come together to deal with the protestant problem in America.
He went on to say that people of other faiths, Catholic, Jew, Muslim should all vote against the protestant majority in America to create
a utopian society. This man is a hypocrite of the highest order.
He is an extreme individual, who will only go against his far left ideology when Jews happen to be on the other side. As someone who has heard him speak on a number of issues, I find
it incredible listening to his logic that he can find it within himself to be a supporter of Israel, he seeks along with the rest of his ilk
to change America beyond all recognition, whilst wanting Israel to remain a Jewish state, but western societies must at all cost be
secular. Israel is not perfect, they have made numerous mistakes. If Israel want to make an enemy of this pope, it will be a serious
mis-calculation on their behalf. Pope Benedict XVI is not Pope John Paul II, he has spoken out against a number of issues concerning Islam, and may well be one of the people that help Europe overcome the moral mess it has gotten itself into. He most certainly will not be pictured kissing the Koran, like his predecessor.
Dershowitz should just stick to what he does best, helping murderers get away with murder.
Also how left wing of ecil man to drag up the
popes youth, it was compulsory for all children to join, maybe you should be posting on some of
the left wing sites, as your above quote is identical to what appears their.
ecil man.
I really think that you should read more about
How Razinger and his brother ended up in the
Hitler youth. The allies bombed the seminary
where they were in training to be priests, they
were then sent home, upon their arrival home
they were greeted by the Nazi’s who by then
insisted that all of young people of Germany
must join the Hitler youth. So are you trying
to tell me that all of the children that ended up
in the Hitler youth are Nazi’s to the core?
Well if so you are condemning hundreds of
thousands of people just to suit your whimsical
ideology. Are you an ardent reader of The New
York Times by any chance? I’m getting the
feeling that you are. With all of the anti-catholic
crap that has been written for years in that rag,
which many in America believe to be fact, The
garbage written about Pope Pious 12th , is the
best example, their coverage during world war 2
claimed the pope was standing alone against
facism, then in the 70’s and 80’s they claimed
he was Hitler’s Pope. The idea that Ratzinger
put John Paul up to kissing the Koran is laughable and I believe that it show’s how truly ignorant you are on the issue. Troubling that in both of your posts Paedophilles had to be mentioned. let us be honest if any one abandons Israel it looks like it will be the Americans, ask the settlers how they feel about America’s influence upon their lives lately, for it’s not the Pope moving them hoping that it will bring the Dhimmi Peace Bush has promised.
Bush may not abandon them but President Hilary
most certainly will.
Razinger and his brother went back to the seminary after WW2, unless you’re a lunatic and believe that to dedicate your life to Jesus( before and after the war)
is how an evil / nazi would behave.
This is pure hypocrisy on the Vatican's part.
Either you are against killing innocent people or you are not.
The behavior of States (or proto-states like 'Palestine') is irrelevant to this issue. If they have criminal behaviors, call them on it.
But that never excuses freelance homicidal terrorists (Hamas, Islamic Jihad, ad nauseam).
One reason I split from this Papist sect at puberty.
Never could see how 'golden chalices' and 'silk chasubles' and 'vacation homes' and 'marble churches' and 'armored Mercedes Benz's' fit in with the message of Christ about poverty and "not to store up your treasure in this world", or that "they clean the outsides of their cups but the insides are full of corruption".
The hypocrisy is familiar to me, but this is sheer
encouragement to mass murder.
Bizarre. Shameful. And in need of a whipping from the temple.
Big SLEEP.
It looks to me, that there is alot of anti-catholic sentiment flying around, It's clear to me now why most catholics vote Democrat, as some
of the people here are as anti-catholic as they
are anti-islam.How do you idiots think we're going to beat islam if we can't get over the Protestant Catholic divide. The spirit of the Heretic Martin Luther is still in full swing.
Considering that Protestantism has historically supported Islam in every sort of way - from the Lutherans stabbing Charles V in the back while he struggled to resist the armies of Suleiman the Magnificent to the Dutch supporting the Islamic element in their empire till it was the absolute majority, to the English supporting Turkey against not only Russia but Greece and its own Christian rebels - all the post-Protestant anti-Catholic twits would do well to keept their goddamn traps shut. Yes, the Vatican has made a dumb mistake here. To argue from this, as ecil man and biglseepofthebrain seem to be doing, that Pope Benedict is preparing the concentration camps, is self-serving insanity. Congratulations on joining the self-serving Dershowitz or the pathetic prejudices of the Tim La Hayes of this world. The Vatican and Israel have historically had problems, and some Israeli bureaucrats decided to gain some momentary political advantage from a Vatican slip. That is all that happened here. The rest is bullshit.
Dershowitz sucks, as does anyone who puts the interests of another nation (be it defined by race or religion or politics) before that of their own nation. Which is exactly what Muslims do, and we criticize them for that, so why not criticize the Israeli firsters, or the my religion firsters.
Matthew 10:34
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Unfortunately for most of it's history that sword has been wielded against fellow christians. What was the war against the Cathars (a Christian heresy) for? What was the Thirty Years' War in Europe for? What was the war in Holland for? Why was it that England persecuted Scotland? Why is it that England persecutes Ireland even to this day? Who was it that sacked Constantinople in 1204, Muslims or Crusaders?
At the bottom of every one of these conflicts you will find a religious question.
Christian nations and kings have slaughtered each othe in the name of god, with patrons like St. George, St Louis, fought each other for power and territory, even making alliances with Muslims against fellow Christians.
And now that the Sword of Christ should be wielded in defense of the west, it is sheathed, and silent and even Rome, under the new Pope is making sublimal overtures to the Muslims.
"It is true that the Muslim world is not totally mistaken when it reproaches the West of Christian tradition of moral decadence and the manipulation of human life. Islam has also had moments of great splendor and decadence in its history.
Pope Benedict XVI"
Israel Angry at Pope over Terror Comments
The Sword of Muhammad has never been sheathed, but it is long past time for the Sword of Christ to be unsheathed, and not against other Christians or atheists, or agnostics or secularists who are brethern in spirit, heart and endeavor against the evil force from the East that threatens to engulf and submit the world
Giaor:
If by "international legitimacy" the Vatican was referring to the International High Court decision re: the security barrier, then the Vatican is betraying the same ignorance the IHC judges did when they even accepted the question put to it.
If it's a reference to the "occupation", again, it is not an illegal occupation, as Dershowitz points out in A Case for Israel.
If only the PA and surrounding Arab states were held to anywhere nearly the scrutiny that Israel is in the conduct of its affairs in a state of war, maybe then Israel, which ranks around #34 re: human rights violations, would not be the subject of a quarter of the condemnatory resolutions passed by the UN.
The tainted world view of Israel is less about what Israel is actually guilty of and more about the successful PR campaign the pro-Palestinian factions have mounted over the last 40+ years.
Giaour, when Jesus said he would bring a sword he meant that his radical teachings would inspire hate and violence against his followers, not that he wanted his followers to kill people. I am not defending past Christian attrocities but
despite it's past Christianity is a far more peaceful religion than Islam. Islam has been violent and hateful from it's conception.