JERUSALEM — The Vatican, a Lebanese cardinal and a theologian in Israel criticized Israel’s reaction to Hezbollah’s firing of rockets into the north of the country in mid-July.
Pope Benedict XVI is following events in the with great concern because “the latest dramatic events” risk “degenerating into a conflict with international repercussions,” said Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state.
The cardinal issued a statement July 14 after the Middle East appeared to move a step closer to all-out war as fighting spread north to . bombed targets in after members of Lebanon-based Hezbollah crossed into and kidnapped two Israeli soldiers.
“As in the past, the Holy See condemns both terrorist attacks on one side and military reprisals on the other,” Cardinal Sodano said. “In fact, a state’s right to defend itself does not exempt it from respecting the norms of international law, especially as regards safeguarding civilian populations.
“In particular, the Holy See deplores the attack on , a free and sovereign nation,” he said, adding that the is close to the Lebanese people, “who already have suffered much to defend their independence.”
Although an unprovoked Hezbollah attack on in which two soldiers were kidnapped and Katyusha rockets were lobbed into northern cities is “unacceptable,” ’s response is not “appropriate,” said a Catholic theologian in .
“I don’t know why Hezbollah did what they did. It is unacceptable to [launch] rockets into Rosh Pina, Tzfat, Meron, [in ]. I think has to react. They can’t tolerate the taking of soldiers, the Katyushas,” said Father Michael McGarry, rector of the Tantur Ecumenical Institute for Theological Studies in . “They have to do something in response, but killing civilians is not appropriate.”
was holding responsible for the kidnapping and attacks as opposed to the past when they only blamed Hezbollah, he added.
The considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization. However, the Lebanese government regards Hezbollah as a legitimate resistance movement fighting Israeli occupation of Lebanese territories.
Hezbollah, with its Syrian and Iranian patrons, has carved out its own territory in southern and many analysts say that the Lebanese army is not strong enough to confront Hezbollah to prevent such attacks.
The Israeli reprisals for the Hezbollah kidnapping included bombing the airport and establishing a naval blockade of the country’s ports. The Lebanese government said 47 people died in the Israeli bombardments July 13.
Hezbollah responded by firing rocket and mortar shells into northern Israel; the Israeli government said July 14 that two people had been killed and more than 100 wounded in a dozen different cities and villages. At the same time, continued its offensive in .
Israeli TV commentator Ehud Nahari said that perhaps ’s reaction was an attempt to weaken Hezbollah so much that it would allow the Lebanese army to regain control of the southern stretch of its country which borders .
in 2000 withdrew its forces from southern , where they had been stationed since the end of the war in 1985. From 1985 to 2000, together with the mostly-Maronite southern Lebanese army, maintained a presence there against Hezbollah gunmen, creating a buffer zone for northern .
Although needs to react, there must be another way, Father McGarry said.
Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir, patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church, said that both the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Lebanon-based Hezbollah and the retaliation by in attacking are deplorable.
“ is always paying the price for this [Israeli and Palestinian] conflict,” said Cardinal Sfeir in a telephone interview while he was staying in .
The cardinal, seen as a prominent spokesperson for the Lebanese people, was in the after he was a special guest for a July 2-9 convention of the National Apostolate of Maronites in .
Cardinal Sfeir said he is trying to meet with someone in the Bush administration.
President Bush arrived in , July 14 for discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Group of Eight summit of industrialized nations.
and have criticized the Israeli attacks while Bush has said that has a right to defend itself. Bush also said he was worried the attacks could weaken ’s democratic, anti-Syrian government.
Meanwhile, Franciscan Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who is in charge of Christian sites in the Holy Land, said the Israeli response did not come as a surprise.
“It was clear when Katyushas fell on Nahariya and the reaction of the Israelis would be furious. I think it was an invitation for the Israelis [to attack]. I think it is very sad,” said Father Pizzaballa. “It is a very difficult situation. I don’t understand either the position of Hezbollah or of Hamas, and not even ’s reaction.”
One of the Hezbollah rockets that landed in hit only a few hundred yards from the Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery where about 20 monks and nuns had gathered.
“Thank God it happened without hurting any people,” said Sister Eliana Karram, superior of the monastery. “We pray for all these things to stop. It is better for all sides that there [is] peace and quiet. No people want this violence.”