Waarom is de paus niet ook even langs geweest in Sderot, en heeft daar de vele slachtoffers van de Qassamraketten toegesproken? Natuurlijk wordt een bezoek aan een Palestijns vluchtelingenkamp politiek uitgebuit door de Palestijnen. Het oplaten van 61 zwarte ballonnen om de 61 jaar dat Israel bestaat te betreuren is een smakeloze anti-Israel actie die niks met verzoening te maken heeft, en de paus had zich niet voor dergelijke propaganda stunts moeten lenen. Of betreurt hij ook het bestaan van een eigen staat voor het Joodse volk? Het Vaticaan heeft Israel per slot van rekening pas in 1994 erkend, waarschijnlijk niet toevallig toen vrede dichtbij leek.
Zijn warme woorden vol empathie steken schril af bij de veel koelere en algemenre woorden eerder deze week bij de Klaagmuur en Yad Vashem:
"My visit to the Aida refugee camp this afternoon gives me a welcome opportunity to express my solidarity with all the homeless Palestinians who long to be able to return to their birthplace, or to live permanently in a homeland of their own," said the pope. "To all the officials of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency who care for the refugees, I express the appreciation felt by countless men and women all over the world for the work that is done here and in other camps throughout the region."
The pope went on to say that his "heart goes out" to all Palestinians who have suffered through family divisions caused by imprisonment, bereavement or movement restrictions.
He said that the "Palestinians' longing for peace" took on a particular poignancy as they recalled the "events of May 1948" and the years of conflict that followed.
"You are now living in precarious and difficult conditions, with limited opportunities for employment," he said. "It is understandable that you often feel frustrated. Your legitimate aspirations for permanent homes, for an independent Palestinian State, remain unfulfilled. Instead you find yourselves trapped, as so many in this region and throughout the world are trapped, in a spiral of violence, of attack and counter-attack, retaliation, and continual destruction."
De katholieke kerk is nooit een grote vriend van de Joden geweest, en dat heeft de paus tijdens deze reis opnieuw bevestigd.
Voor de duidelijkheid: er is niks mis met empathie voor de Palestijnen; het is het uitblijven van eenzelfde warmte en begrip naar Israel en de Joden toe dat me steekt. Zij hebben evenzeer onder het conflict geleden, honderdduizenden Joden zijn uit de Arabische staten gevlucht en verdreven, tienduizenden Israeli's gedood en vermoord in oorlogen en teroristische aanslagen, er is de angst voor Iran's nucleaire programma en een nieuwe Holocaust.
RP
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May 13, 2009 17:30 | Updated May 13, 2009 21:58
Visiting refugee camp, pope says W. Bank barrier 'tragic'
By JPOST.COM STAFF
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1242212365585&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
The Palestinians scored a major publicity coup on Wednesday when Pope Benedict XVI spoke from a podium near the security barrier in the Aida refugee camp and the pontiff called the erection of the fence "tragic."
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salaam Fayad were in attendance as the pope visited a school near the barrier and 61 black balloons, symbolizing the 61 years since Israel was established, were released into the air.
Schoolchildren filed passed the pontiff and shook his hand.
"Towering over us, as we gather here this afternoon, is a stark reminder of the stalemate that relations between Israelis and Palestinians seem to have reached - the wall," said the pope. "In a world where more and more borders are being opened up - to trade, to travel, to movement of peoples, to cultural exchanges - it is tragic to see walls still being erected."
He said that on both sides of the wall, great courage was needed if fear and mistrust were to be overcome and if the urge to retaliate for loss or injury were to be resisted.
"My visit to the Aida refugee camp this afternoon gives me a welcome opportunity to express my solidarity with all the homeless Palestinians who long to be able to return to their birthplace, or to live permanently in a homeland of their own," said the pope. "To all the officials of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency who care for the refugees, I express the appreciation felt by countless men and women all over the world for the work that is done here and in other camps throughout the region."
He urged residents of the refugee camp to prepare for the time when they will be responsible for the affairs of the Palestinian people in years to come.
"Parents have a most important role here, and to all the families present in this camp I say: be sure to support your children in their studies and to nurture their gifts, so that there will be no shortage of well-qualified personnel to occupy leadership positions in the Palestinian community in the future," he said.
The pope went on to say that his "heart goes out" to all Palestinians who have suffered through family divisions caused by imprisonment, bereavement or movement restrictions.
"All Palestinian refugees across the world, especially those who lost homes and loved ones during the recent conflict in Gaza, are constantly remembered in my prayers," he assured them.
He said that the "Palestinians' longing for peace" took on a particular poignancy as they recalled the "events of May 1948" and the years of conflict that followed.
"You are now living in precarious and difficult conditions, with limited opportunities for employment," he said. "It is understandable that you often feel frustrated. Your legitimate aspirations for permanent homes, for an independent Palestinian State, remain unfulfilled. Instead you find yourselves trapped, as so many in this region and throughout the world are trapped, in a spiral of violence, of attack and counter-attack, retaliation, and continual destruction."
Benedict stressed that the entire world was longing for end to the constant fighting and that history had shown that peace could only come when the parties to a conflict were willing to move beyond their grievances and work together towards common goals, each taking the concerns and fears of the other side seriously and striving to build an atmosphere of trust.
"There has to be a willingness to take bold and imaginative initiatives towards reconciliation," he said. "But if each insists on prior concessions from the other, the result can only be stalemate."
Benedict added that while humanitarian aid had an essential role to play, the long-term solution to the Middle East conflict could only be political.
"No one expects the Palestinian and Israeli peoples to arrive at it on their own," he continued. "The support of the international community is vital, and hence I make a renewed appeal to all concerned to bring their influence to bear in favor of a just and lasting solution, respecting the legitimate demands of all parties and recognizing their right to live in peace and dignity, in accordance with international law."
He emphasized, though, that diplomatic efforts could only succeed if Palestinians and Israelis themselves were willing to emerge from the cycle of violence.
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