Cardinal Renato Martino Throws Bombshell Into Tense Israel / Gaza Situation

Vatican-Israel ties tense over cardinal's camps comment

Well that was not helpful. It did not take me long after doing some Vatican watching that when the Vatican "Speaks" it does not at all times speak for the Pope or the Church as a whole. This is very true when the Vatican are individual Cardinals and others. There are competing visions and world views.

When you throw something as explosive as the Israel question and conflict into the mix it becomes apparent. It very much mirrors the gnashing of teeth we see in areas of the American Catholic Blogsphere to me

Italian Vatican reporter Sandro Magistersaid as to the above comments (Translalted via the Ratzinger Forum on this Page):
Cardinal Renato Martino's boutade* comparing Gaza to a 'huge concentration camp' under Israeli command was the worst service to Benedict XVI. Not only for the remark itself, but for its inopportunity.

The interview given by Martino to ilSussidiario.net, the online journal of Comunione e Liberazione in the Rome area - went online yesterday, January 7, on the very eve of the Pope's annual New Year's reception for the diplomats accredited to the Holy See. The result is that Martino's words not only overshadow the Pope's own words today, but would appear to confirm the idea that the actual thinking of the Vatican is not the moderate and measured position of official diplomacy but the 'brutally candid' positions formulated by Martino. In his address to the diplomatic corps today, this is what Benedict VXI said about the current conflict raging in the Holy Land:

The birth of Christ in the lowly stable of Bethlehem leads us naturally to think of the situation in the Middle East and, in the first place, in the Holy Land, where, in these days, we have witnessed a renewed outbreak of violence provoking immense damage and suffering for the civilian population. This situation further complicates the quest for a settlement of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, something fervently desired by many of them and by the whole world. Once again I would repeat that military options are no solution and that violence, wherever it comes from and whatever form it takes, must be firmly condemned. I express my hope that, with the decisive commitment of the international community, the ceasefire in the Gaza strip will be re-established – an indispensable condition for restoring acceptable living conditions to the population –, and that negotiations for peace will resume, with the rejection of hatred, acts of provocation and the use of arms. It is very important that, in view of the crucial elections which will involve many of the inhabitants of the region in coming months, leaders will emerge who can decisively carry forward this process and guide their people towards the difficult yet indispensable reconciliation. This cannot be reached without the adoption of a global approach to the problems of these countries, with respect for the legitimate aspirations and interests of all parties.

These words conform to the canons of Vatican diplomacy in this area - both in the things it says, as well as in those unsaid, as we analyzed a few days ago in the article "In Gaza, the Vatican raises the white flag". Avvenire picked up the arguments in that article and discussed some of its themes in editorials that appeared to days in a row, written by Andrea Lavazza (in the Jan. 7 and Jan. 8 issues of the Italian bishops' newspaper), which very helpfully clarify the true positions of the Church on the Israel-Palestine issue.

Note I will try to see if the above mentioned article in the influential Avvenire have been translated.

At the Italian site ilsussidiario.net Prof. Giorgio Israel wrote an article responding to the Cardinal comments. The Ratzinger Fourm is translating those comments and should appear on this page later today If you know Italian here it is.