CARDINAL SODANO RAPS ISRAELI POLICIES

Rome, Apr. 26 (CWNews.com) - The Vatican Secretary of State has cautioned the government of Israel against assassinating Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Cardinal Angelo Sodano said that nothing in international law would allow military operations against Arafat. He was responding to public statements by Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, who has said that the Palestinian leader could be a legitimate target for military action.

"What sort of international legislation could allow such a thing?" Cardinal Sodano asked rhetorically during a meeting with Italian journalists on April 25. "Warfare has its own rules, but people have rights, even in time of war."

Cardinal Sodano said that a direct Israel move against Arafat would be a step backward for the rule of international law. "Our civilization must move forward, not backward," he said.

The Vatican has already reacted strongly against the Israeli assassinations of Palestinian leaders. After the March 22 killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the head of the Hamas terrorist movement, Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said that the rocket attack was "an act of violence that cannot be justified in any state under the rule of law."

In order to restore respect for law in the Holy Land, Cardinal Sodano said, the first step must be respect for existing UN resolutions. "We cannot forget them," he said-- referring to UN calls for Israeli withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territories. "If we wish for the rule of law, let's begin there!"

Click here to share this news story with a friend.

Terms of Use    Privacy Policy