The Vatican disappoints
The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) has expressed its disappointment at the Vatican’s latest move to formally recognise a Palestinian state.
Pope Francis
National Chairman of AIJAC Mark Liebler and executive director Dr Colin Rubenstein Since the 2012 UN resolution accepting Palestine as a non-member observer state, the Vatican has been referring to the state of Palestine, but this treaty goes further by formalising this recognition for the first time. Sadly, this will do nothing to advance peace nor assist Middle Eastern Christians persecuted by Islamists across the region.
While we don’t question Pope Francis’ genuine desire for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, nor that this decision was made in good faith, premature recognition of the non-existent Palestinian state can only be inimical to the cause of peace. It discourages, rather than encourages, the only way to a true and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians, a bilateral negotiated outcome where both sides make difficult compromises. Yet the Palestinian Authority (PA) was offered a state on generous terms in 2000, 2001 and 2008 and each time either refused or walked away, because it was not prepared to accept the necessary compromises, including that a Palestinian state would mean the end of all further claims against Israel.
More recently, the PA has refused even to genuinely engage in negotiations, preferring instead to pursue an international strategy that, it hopes, will result in a Palestinian state without the need to recognise the legitimacy of a Jewish state alongside it.
Thus, premature recognition of a Palestinian state, which in any event lacks the prerequisites for statehood, is simply counter-productive as it emboldens the PA to pursue this destructive course.
True friends of the Palestinians should be taking steps encouraging them to resume negotiations in good faith, rather than avoid them.
Anti-Defamation Commission Chairman, Dr Dvir Abramovich, issued the following statement:
“Though we are certain that the Vatican’s purpose is to advance the cause of reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians, this regrettable recognition will not help in any positive way to resolve the impasse. In fact, this move is counterproductive, premature and harmful to the goal of achieving a true and lasting peace between the two parties, since it will only embolden Abbas to keep evading and bypassing direct negotiations with Israel, and support his continuing intransigence. As the USA, Australia, and most of the international community have acknowledged, Palestinian statehood can only be realised within the setting of genuine dialogue and negotiations. When we consider that Gaza is ruthlessly ruled by the terrorist and genocidal Hamas, who seeks to destroy the Jewish state, and the West Bank is governed by the unelected Abbas, one is moved to ask what non-existent State of Palestine is the Vatican recognising. If reports are correct, and Eastern Jerusalem has been included in the treaty, this will be very disappointing and improper since Israel has never relinquished governance of that area under past agreements. The Pope has a constructive role to play, and it should be to encourage the Palestinian Authority to accept mutual, bi-lateral negotiations with Israel, which are the only path for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, rather than adopt unilateral measures which undermine the prospects for a durable solution to the conflict.”
There you are, Paul Collins on ABC NewsRadio this morning if anyone caught it has conveyed the fact that as adherants we will virtually just have to suck eggs and acknowledge the Holy See is running the show and it would be in Israels best interest to accept it.
Unfortunately the interview won’t be online as I’ve have already requested it as a reference [139994].
That’s only if the Vatican reckons that Israel is there to follow the Church…..you follow !!!!
To be quick and efficient.
Consider the points of compatibility between the Vatican and the PA.
What essential, defining , features could possibly bring them together.
I can name about twenty such disgusting things, what about yourse !!!!!
The Pope is also not interested in the word of God. If he were…. he would never divide the land (Israel) that He gave to His chosen people. The Pope’s name is in fact an offence to God, just check the background of “PopeP.
The Vatican has always disappointed.
The coal face assessment must take in consideration the following:
Within the informal palestinian administration statistics show dramatic reduction of catholic presence. Catholics have practically ran awy under the terror of the palestinians. The Church has VITAL assets in that region. This concession by the Vatican is essential the necessary cahnges toward the Catholics that PA will now undertake.
By the same token, Israel is a GIVEN as protector of the same Catholic interests, massive presence in Israel.
Here we have the massive moral chasm between the Jewish State and the palestinians. Palestinians practically comply with a modicum of ethics under the pressure of blackmail they exert upon those with interests in their territories, the Jews do it as a matter of no alternative ethics.
In the process, the Jewish side had to lose. To be honest, we are used to this and Israel must have expected the move. Just as well, the ACTUAL eventuality of a palestinian state is dependent on Israel acceptance of necessary preconditions being met by the palestinians. A “palestinian” state as such will only happen when conditions demanded by Israel shall be met, Vatican’s “approval” or not.
As such, Vatican has no choice but be duplicitous….nothing new about the Church.
The problem is when the Holy See starts selecting influencial Jewish Rabbi’s for Papal Knighthoods and they accept it…….more recently Arthur Schneier.
I quess those of use schooled in the tactics see through them….
To be fair, Lynne, this new apparent shift in the Vatican’s attitude has occurred after the great honours bestowed. Let’s see if vanity gets the best of the next “appointees” , because, as you’d expect, the pope will try and make “amends” by inviting more Rabbis and other Jewish dignitaries for the same stuff….
They didn’t accept you as a nation until 1993, then over time all the tax concessions etc. and political power in The Holy Land was established.
Then they set their sights on Palestine for the same reason and will gain their agenda there.
John XIII was the one whose heart was in the right place, unconditionally, the rest is all politics.
We have an image of Christ’s Mother with her foot standing on the serpents head…ever seen it?
A work still in process…….with all the suffering within the souls of now adult men and women abandoned as children.
Lynne, you are painfully right and we must remember that, traditionally, the Church had referred to the Jews, roughly from the 3rd Century , as the “rejected” people, dogmatically replacing Israel with its own “persona”. That still stands and one can only read the hailed Vatican II documents to see it amply stated.
Coreographing all kinds of gent(i)le parades of reconciliation is all but nullified by this sincere display of anti Jewish/Jewish State measure.
Paraphrasing history ( although it was NOT the Church itself ), Rome had destroyed the Jewish Temple and wants to see the job permanently done.
The Jewish people and Israel should not be “disappointed” but they should be up in arms.
This Pope is an extreme leftist islamophile first (while his own flock gets slaughtered he schmuses the ones who are doing the slaughtering – his first public media act was to kiss the feet of a young Muslima -) and Pope second. I even suspect him strongly to use his position as “Pope” to advance his agenda which is definately judenfeindlich !
I identify myself as a “Catholic Agnostic” – but I certainly have no time for the Catholic Church while this “Pope” sits in the chair of St. Peter.
Rita,
Your first sentence is 100% accurate.
Apparently it appears to be an ingrained Jewish trait buried somewhere deep in our DNA, to never be “up in arms” about anything, never proactive and always expressing “disappointment” or regret at acts of profound stupidity or treachery committed by our adversaries, in this case the Vatican.
No doubt AIJAC’s “disappointment” has been duly noted by the Pope and thrown in the bin.
Jewish and Israeli response as usual is politically correct, polite and therefore pathetic. As if this is going to make anyone stand up and pay attention.
In all honesty, I have no doubt Pope John X111 embraced you totally for who are absolutely with no strings attatched, he was all heart and soul the rest has been about politics.
The State of Israel was procalimed in May 1948 The Vatican refused your formal existance as such until Novmber 1993.
Even then interestingly enough; there was a fear “with diplomatic relations opening up it could allow the church to meddle in a peace process that could be more a hinderence than a help”.
Rabbi David Rosen.
Vatican Israli Relations: Past Present and Future.
A Papal Knighthood in 2005.
I
Ideologically it makes perfect sense for The Pope to support the “idea” of peace. But truthfully, the Vatican has set a bad example throughout history, especially with regard to countries waging war. Moral perfidy within the confines of the Vatican has always been a cause for concern and in this case it’s no different. History repeats itself – thoroughly and without a hiccup. If one looks deeply enough a pattern of improbity, divided allegiance, disingenuous double-dealing and the subtle schemes of a Machiavellian institution rears its ugly head once again. Once again ANOTHER Pope has perjured himself. Contemptible at worst and shabby at best, The Pope has displayed an unforgivable lack of charity and an abysmal ignorance. By recognizing (and therefore “blessing” in the eyes of the world) a regime which, by association, not only endangers humanity and peace to our globe, but one which does not legally exist, The Pope perpetuates a contemptible legacy left by others before him. This Middle-Eastern situation, especially, the Palestinian question needs a REAL HERO. Who better than The Pope? Sadly, not this one and not this time.
And don’t be impressed with the Jewish Star of David caught on the side of the back drop of a press release by Tony Abbott the other evening if quick enough to catch it.
He would be well up with it being such a divisive subject and looking to keep your vote.