When the Saints go Marching in…writes Michael Kuttner

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Most Israelis have by now become used to the spectacle of the rest of the world trying to order us around and offering gratuitous advice.

Michael Kuttner

This week however saw the phenomenon reach new hitherto unseen heights. Nobody expects any more balanced actions from the United Nations and most of its associated organisations, where the immoral majority reigns supreme. The majority of the European Union follows a similar blind obsession. The Foreign Minister of the EU maintains that they are itching to get more involved in coercing Israel to make concessions to a potential terror State in its midst. One would think that with all their other problems ranging from imploding economies, floods of illegal migrants, Ukraine and the rising menace of home grown jihadists that they would have their hands full. It seems that this is never the case because their determination on insisting that they know what’s best for us, takes precedence.

The latest in a long line of Middle East meddlers is the Vatican. Its track record is decidedly dicey. When Theodore Herzl tried gaining the support of Pope Pius X in 1904 for his Zionist dream of establishing a Jewish State the response was cold. Only if Jews would repent for their stubborn refusal to convert would he even entertain any thought of them re-establishing their ancient homeland.

The Vatican’s efforts to save Jews during the Holocaust are shrouded in controversy. The rat lines established by the Vatican after the war enabling Nazi war criminals to escape to South America and other places is a permanent blemish on their moral conscience. It was only in 1993 that the Vatican established diplomatic ties…an incredible 45 years after the State’s independence. Only in recent years has the Vatican reluctantly acknowledged the Jewish People’s inalienable right to sovereignty in what it likes referring to as the “Holy Land.”

Having failed in making Jerusalem an international city, divorced from the Capital of a Jewish State, it now seems to be trying to achieve a new tack.

Faced with an onslaught against Christians throughout the Arab Moslem world the current strategy is to take the line of least resistance. This takes the form of elevating the invented Arab Palestinians onto the world stage and in effect sanctioning their daily diet of hate and incitement against Israel & Judaism. The rationale according to certain spokespersons and commentators is to protect the few remaining Christians by propping up supporters of terror and coming down heavily on Israel. Thus we are witness to the amazing spectacle of Abbas, the President of a non existent country, currently in the tenth year of his four year term, being feted and embraced by the Pope. Not only embraced but hailed as a possible “angel of peace.” Whether this means that he is already an angel of peace or is being encouraged to be one, the fact remains that such adulation is grossly misplaced and an insult to the thousands of Israelis & Jews murdered by those whom Abbas and his colleagues support. From Holocaust denial and trivialization to hate education and incitement, the person who is being described as a possible angel by the head of the Roman Catholic Church is the least deserving recipient of such praise.

In yet another gesture the Vatican has canonised two Christian Nuns from the Ottoman period. One can argue that this is a purely religious act and therefore is no business of anyone else. That would be true in normal circumstances but then this event like most others is politically motivated and has already been hijacked by those who seek to delegitimise Israel and Jews. Most of the media has trotted out the fallacious and spurious claims of Abbas and friends that the elevation of these nuns towards sainthood is proof that Palestine was always an independent Moslem country. It therefore follows as night follows day that Israel is an illegitimate creation born at the expense of some mythical Palestinian Moslem Arab State.

At the same time that the Pope canonised these nuns he also announced formal recognition of Palestine. Taking these two decisions together it is plainly obvious that the Vatican has in effect given its seal of approval to yet another revisionist version of historical facts. Overlooked and conveniently ignored is the truth that Ottoman ruled Palestine was in no shape or form any sort of independent country. In fact the only people who called themselves Palestinians at that time were the Jewish inhabitants. The Moslems adamantly refused to be acknowledged as such and insisted on terming themselves as Arabs.

All this of course is irrelevant as far as the Ramallah based Fatah/Hamas gangs are concerned. They know with one hundred per cent certainty that the UN, EU and now the Vatican have all swallowed the big lies and that most of the media will blithely publish them.

It is a pity that Vatican politics rather than moral considerations have once again determined policies totally inimical and destructive as far as Israel is concerned. Pope Francis commenced his Pontificate by reaching out a brotherly hand towards Jews and seemingly to understand the role that Jews and Judaism continue to play in the Promised Land. By giving legitimacy to the PA whose partners are dedicated to the murder of Jews and Israelis (as per their charters) and whose main aim is the erasing of the Jewish connection to this country, he has in one stroke undone years of progress towards better Jewish/Catholic relations.

Will Christians be any safer now that the Vatican has decided to recognise the Hamas/Fatah thuggocracy as a valued member of the community of nations? The answer of course is no.

Will genuine peace and tolerance burst forth from Ramallah and will newly anointed “angel” Abbas be the harbinger of the lion lying down with the lamb? Not in our lifetime.

Look at this link (courtesy of PMW) and decide whether the leopard has changed its spots.

http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=14872

In the face of all this evidence and contrary to all logic, the French Government is now concocting a toxic Gallic brew to force their version of peace on us, via the UN Security Council. Which way will New Zealand vote? Don’t hold your breath.

Those who prefer to ignore reality and instead curry favor with peddlers of hate and incitement are guilty of sabotaging any prospects of genuine peace. The sooner this is acknowledged the better it will be for all concerned.

Editor’s Note: Media reports state that the Pope meant no offence to Israel in describing President Abbas as “an angel of peace”. He had presented President Abbas with a medallion representing the angel of peace…a customary gesture. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told media that he had not heard the Pope use the expression telling Reuters “it is clear that there was no intention to offend anyone”.

Michael Kuttner is a Jewish New Zealander who for many years was actively involved with various communal organisations connected to Judaism and Israel. He now lives in Israel and is J-Wire’s correspondent in the region.