CRS official says relief work impossible without cease-fire
John Thavis analyzes the Pope’s foreign policy stance, as evident so far, and the response:
In private talks, Vatican officials have asked that the U.S. government use its influence with Israel to bring an immediate halt to hostilities.
To the Israelis, the Vatican has made it clear that it views its military offensive in Lebanon as a disproportionate use of force. Israel’s ambassador to the Vatican, Oded Ben-Hur, has made counterarguments.
"I say two things: first, that the proportion is to the amount of threat, and (Hezbollah) is putting the north of Israel, a million people, under the threat of missiles," Ben-Hur said told Catholic News Service in an interview.
"Secondly, what is the right proportion? Give it to me. What is it, 10 to five? One to one? One hundred to 1,000? There is no such thing," he said.
The ambassador said he thinks that on a practical level the Vatican understands Israel’s motives in Lebanon, and is even sympathetic to Israeli concerns. But because of moral objections, he said, the Vatican asks Israel to "find a way not to retaliate."
"I say, tell us what the formula is," the ambassador said. He argues that Israel’s actions are essentially self-defense against an enemy that must be hit wherever they are found.
As for civilian deaths, Israeli officials say Hezbollah is ultimately responsible because it uses civilian areas to stage rocket attacks.
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