Israeli leading party in Anti-Catholic media brawl

(Scripturelink Voters Guide; Catholic Watchdog South Africa; c.f. BBC World News 20/10/08)

Article by Marc Aupiais

BBC is reporting that a large number of pictures combined in a montage as one- of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI have been placed, covered in symbology of Nazi Germany on a website run by supporters of Yalla Kadima, Israel's most popular political party. This follows previous attacks by Israelis on the courageous efforts of Pope Pius XII, which involved the risk of his own life to defend Jews undergoing at the time Nazi persecution, in which they said he could have "done more", some of these earlier attacks came from the first non-Christian, a Jewish speaker- ever invited to a recent Catholic Synod on the bible. Pope Pius XII is being considered for canonization.

According to the BBC- the Israeli government considers the Vatican to be "pro-Palestinian" and there are issues between Holy Mother church- and Israel such as problems with visas, as well as disagreements over taxation of church properties.

Tzipi Livni, the leader of the party some of whose supporters placed the images on a website used by activists of the party, who is trying to become Israel's prime minister- is said to have personally asked for the removal of the montage. Apparently, according to a spokesperson claiming to represent the leader of the party concerned, just before the montage was removed that is- the views expressed on the site are not an accurate reflection of the views of the party. It is odd- that when attempting to promote Jewish interests, as regards the Holocaust - that those responsible should themselves partake in the defamation of religious figures- and the propagation of negative sentiments of another's religion- especially as this is the very foundation of the Holocaust they experienced.

Other issues with Israel reported- include the wording of the "Yad Vashem" holocaust memorial- which is less than kind to Pope Pius XII, and represents a view of the World War II pope- which the Vatican cannot possibly agree with- based (The Vatican's view that is) on the actual history of what occured.