ISRAEL TRUTH TIMES

A blog dedicated to investigating events as they occur in Judea and Samaria, in Israel and in the world, and as they relate to global powers and/or to the Israeli government, public figures, etc. It is dedicated to uncovering the truth behind the headlines; and in so doing, it strives to do its part in saving Judea and Samaria, and by extension, Israel and the Jewish People, from utter destruction at the hands of its many external and internal enemies.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

After I sent you an assessment that nothing was signed yet with the Vatican, I received this scathing criticism, which unfortunately might be right on target. New info I received today supports this. Below

B"H,

Dear all,

After I sent you my e-mail "Rabot Machshevot beleiv ish...." last night, and feeling quite confident that nothing had been signed, because of information I found on a Catholic website, I received this scathing criticism from nik. Not being sure what to make of it, I asked Shmuel for his opinion. He also tends to agree with nik.

However, something much more serious than a simple opinion shook my conviction . I received an e-mail from a trusted source, which gives EXACT CLAUSES of the agreement DRAFTED BY THE VATICAN in 2005, to be signed by Moshe Katzav, and which he assured us was NOT signed at the time. This agreement stipulates very clearly WHAT will happen in the Cenacle room, WHO will be paying for the repairs, etc.

So even assuming that nothing was signed in 2005, AT SOME POINT IN TIME since then, SOMETHING HAPPENED. REPAIRS ARE TAKING PLACE THERE AS WE SPEAK, - WHO IS PAYING FOR THEM: ISRAEL, OR THE FRANCISCANS? -If you recall, what started this whole controversy and research was a small article stating that ISRAEL was spending 6 MILLION NIS for repairs in advance of the pope's visit, among others at the Cenacle Room. Now of course, with all the meetings they have held since then, maybe the Vatican got Israel to agree to foot the bill on top of it all.  We need to get to the bottom of this, find out who is paying, and why.

In addition, the agreement stipulates that prayers will be allowed there for Catholics, with all the paraphernalia of catholic worship.

In essence, what is planned for the pope's visit is exactly what is stipulated in this agreement.

So my conclusion would be that YES, the VATICAN and ZENIT, and whoever is speaking for them, IS LYING, and that the AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED, whether in the last few weeks, or earlier, or simply promised by Shimon Peres - or by Olmert - in one of their secret letters to the pope.

AND YES, IT IS REASON TO MARCH IN THE STREETS IN PROTESTS, RIOT, YOU NAME IT, EVERYTHING.

BUT BEFORE WE START RAISING HELL, WE NEED TO FIND OUT MORE DETAILS. HOWEVER, I AM NOT AT PEACE ANYMORE. SOMETHING VERY SINISTER IS GOING ON.

WE NEED TO FIND OUT DIRECTLY FROM PEOPLE AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE MINISTRY OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS, AND AT THE FOREIGN MINISTRY, WHAT THE DEAL IS. NO MORE PROCRASTINATION. THIS IS URGENT AND ESSENTIAL.

THE LETTER IS IN HEBREW.

DS



nik says:


fooled again... you guys are incredible... haven't you learned how disinformation works yet...? they put out forewarnings like this or like... "no breakthru is expected today when abbas meets with olmert but the two are attempting to keep the channels open... etc... blah, blah, blah..." and we fall all over ourselves with sighs of relief and then they proceed to meet and sign over everything and agree to the deals we don't want to see... and this way we are quiet and stay home and off the streets not giving the slime a good angry riot to bring attention to their evil designs...

so if the pope is still coming on may 8th be assured the deal has already been signed, sealed and delivered... and we are being duped yet again... we are such suckers... such utter saps... such sad sacks... such pathetic wooses... we fall for the same ploy over and over and over and over again... ad nasuem...

wake up people and smell the crematoria stoking back to life... (G-d forbid)... what a surprise... THE SLIME ARE LYING TO US AGAIN... who would ever of thunk it...? nik. out... 

DS asks SHmuel what he thinks...

SHmuel replies:

I have no concrete evidence either way but if one follows a logical thinking process to its end, I would have to accept that Nik is correct.  I do not intend to waste time "analyzing" what the GOI does at any given time. The pur has fallen long ago.

That is why we are marching to a different tune from that of others also aware but indecisive.
I recommend that you visit Dr. Adrian Salbuchi's presentations to ferret out a good review of the "new reality".
Getting of the grid is the people's alternative and only alternative.
It does not mean irrationally shedding all and rushing stupidly into a hippie life but selectively disconnecting, disengaging from the "system" as much as we can and becoming more self reliant and moving into barter.
A very effective step is to disengage from the TV "license" and that even if it mean getting rid of TV's.
Another excellent artifact is to return to HOME STUDY, rather than financing the "school system" as it is.
The so called "water crisis" in Eretz Israel is another form of macro control by the system. They... the PTB, knew for decades that the resource would be saturated very soon, yet, the INTENTIONALLY delayed water production from sea water for example or to harvest water as you do as another.
We must secure water stocks quickly and rethink how we use water as well.


Vatican: Parts of David's Tomb to Be Under Papal Control
16:21 Oct 20, '05 / 17 Tishrei 5766
By Naomi Grossman

An official Vatican newspaper has reported that during his upcoming visit to the Vatican, President Moshe Katsav will sign an agreement giving parts of David's Tomb over to papal control.
If such an agreement is signed, it will put an end to drawn out negotiations that began in 1998. Israeli and Vatican representatives began discussing issues of jurisdiction over certain sites around seven years ago. These sites include various buildings and parcels of land that the Catholic church claims it used to control.
The church is now seeking to reclaim its ownership of these sites. Among the places under debate is an area that the church refers to as the site of the "last supper," which is situated at the burial site of Kings David, Solomon, Rechavam, Assa, Chezekiyahu and Amatzia.
The Vatican newspaper, El Messagero, reports that President Katsav is expected to sign an agreement during his visit that will give the church control over the upper part of David's Tomb. The church has already shown Israel a trial agreement, according to which the Vatican will receive control over this part of David's Tomb in exchange for the ancient synagogue in Toledo, Spain, which was converted into a church after the expulsion of the Jews in 1492.
In response to the newspaper's report, an official from the Foreign Ministry states "Israel is not prepared to relinquish its jurisdiction over this area." At the same time, they admit that a blueprint of a possible agreement with the Vatican has been received.

Source =
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=91526





הצעת הסכם בין הנשיא קצב מישראל והאפיפיור גרוגרי מהוותיקן

1. מדינת ישראל מוסרת לבית הדין של האפיפיור (הכס הקדוש) את השימוש באולם הסעודה האחרונה, שביל הגישה אליו ושל המקומות הסמוכים, כפי שמסומן במפה המצורפת, מפה זו היא חלק בלתי נפרד מהסכם זה.
2. הכס הקדוש מצהירה על כונתה לשמור ולטפח את האופי הדתי וההיסטורי של מקום קדוש זה, ולתת גישה לביקורים של עולי רגל ותיירים.
3. מדינת ישראל תהיה אחראית על אבטחת המקום, הסגל הממונים עליו והמבקרים, ועל שמירת הסדר מסביב למתחם.
4. בכוונתו של הכס הקדוש ליידע את הבישופים – ודרכם הכמרים בעולם – שלכנסיה הקתולית ניתנה השימוש באולם הסעודה האחרונה, ולהזמין אותם לבקר את המקום הקדוש, יחד עם נאמניהם.
5. הכס הקדוש מוסר את שימוש זה של אולם הסעודה האחרונה לאפוטרופוס הארץ הקדושה אשר בפיקוחו נמצאים המקומות הקדושים מאות שנים עבור הכס הקדוש.
6. אפוטרופוס הארץ הקדושה תפתח את מתחם אולם הסעודה האחרונה לציבור:
- בין השעות 6-8 בבוקר למיסה
- בין השעות 08:00-17:00 לביקורים ותפילת יחיד וקבוצות – גם אם הם מזרמים דתיים שונים – בתנאי שהכול נוהגים בכבוד הדרוש למקום הקדוש.
- בשעות היום תינתן אפשרות לקיים מיסה בחדר הסמוך של "הרוח הקדושה" או של ה"שבועות".
שינויים בלוח הזמנים, במקרה של חגים או אירועים מיוחדים, יפורסמו מראש.
7. פולחן דתי רשמי של כנסיות לא קתוליות יורשה רק אם יינתן אישור בכתב מראש ע"י אפוטרופוס הארץ הקדושה.
8. אפוטרופוס הארץ הקדושה ישא בהוצאות שיפוץ אולם הסעודה האחרונה וחדר "הרוח הקדושה" כדי לאפשר קיום תפילות. חדר ישמש כחדר תשמישי קדושה בו יוחזקו בגדים לתפילה, ספרים וחפצים הדרושים לתפילה. החדר הקטן הממוקם לפני שמגיעים לאולם הסעודה האחרונה ישמש כמשרד לדתי שימונה ע"י אפוטרופוס הארץ הקדושה לפקח על אולם הסעודה האחרונה, ועוזרו. אותו פקח או אחד מעוזריו תמיד יהיה נוכח במשך שעות הפתיחה של המקום הקדוש.
9. עלות כל שיפוץ או תיקון גדול ומקומות שניתנו לשימושו, תשולם ע"י האפוטרופוס, ותעשה רק באישורו מראש של הרשות הישראלית התואמת, בכל מקרה שזה נדרש ע"י החוק.
10. הסכם זה אינו מעורר כלל את זכויותיהם של אפוטרופוס הארץ הקדושה באשר לאולם הסעודה האחרונה, או זכויות רכוש הבלעדיות של האפוטרופוס למתחם כולו, אשר השליטה נלקחה ממנו בכוח בשנת 1551.
11. הסכם זה יכנס לתוקף במועד החתימה





http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/sbf/escurs/Ger/06escursEn.html



2. "On Tuesday, May 12, he will visit the Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount in Jerusalem and meet the Grand Mufti. He will also visit the Western Wall and meet with the two Chief Rabbis of Israel at the Hechal Shlomo Centre. At midday he is scheduled to pray the Regina Coeli with the bishops of the Holy Land in the Cenacle of Jerusalem and to make a brief visit to the co-cathedral of the Latins. That afternoon he will celebrate Mass in the Valley of Josaphat."

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________






ORIGINAL e-mail sent yesterday:

B"H


GREETINGS, faithful team!


Prof. Hillel Weiss wrote yesterday:


 אינני יודע אם יש קשר כלשהוא בהעברת החומר של דייזי לבוס שלו, אבל צריך לחשוב
מה עוד נין לעשות לחשיפת המשימה ,אולי להעביר בתוספת שיחה לפייגלין חוטובלי
ובן-ארי?
לבל משה
נ.ב- דייזי מאד שקטה לאחרונה.הכל בסדר?
ההודעה מוכנה לשליחה עם הקובץ או הקישור המצורפים שלהלן:

קיצור דרך אל:
http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART1/881/644.html?hp=0&loc=103&tmp=6407


Thank you for inquiring and worrying about me, Professor Weiss. I had no computer since April 7th, as I returned to Israel yesterday after a long, long flight back from IXTAPA, MEXICO, where I spent a fantastic Pessach with my loved one, and an incredible group of Mexican Jews... and other long-lost friends - and a bunch of new ones too!

I hope your Pessach was as good and happy as mine. The same applies to all dear readers.

Actually, besides being a happy family gathering and celebration of Pessach , this was a very interesting and worthwhile experience. You see, I decided to give a couple of lectures while I was there: one about this very issue we have been working on, the visit of the pope to Israel, and the dirty deals being made by Peres and co. with the Vatican behind our backs; the other one, on worldwide antisemitism, a topic we have also extensively covered.

As it turned out, some people in my audience were extremely interested, particularly a historian who had been studying this topic at great length,in addition to some other very well informed people. You see, Mexico is a stronghold of Catholicism. the second largest donor to the Church after Spain, and has a very wealthy, powerful Catholic structure, so the Jewish community, by necessity, has to deal with the Church, and these issues concern them directly. For your information, the Inquisition was active in Mexico until about a hundred years ago: they burnt their last Jew about a century ago in Mexico, believe it or not, and the illiterate population still believes that Jews have horns and tails. The wife of this historian related to me how some help of hers was wondering, looking for her tail, when her mistress informed her that she is Jewish!

The Jewish community is very strong, very beautiful, and quite educated both secularly and Jewishly; quite an impressive group, I must say. I was quite delighted to meet them, and they really appreciated what I had to tell them, although , of course, there were the usual naysayers who were very upset by my words. But at least the people who matter the most, the scholars, were really impressed by what I had to tell them. Apparently my material filled a lot of gaps in their understanding.

I hope to continue our relationship and cooperation with them. So this trip was very important, for that reason alone.

In addition, I discovered something very interesting while in  Mexico. You see , luckily I can read Spanish, so while resting overnight in a hotel in Mexico City on April 7-8th, Erev Pessach - and watching the beautiful sunrise with the Brachah Oseh Maasei Bereshit of Birkat Hachamah ( I hope you had a great experience of it, wherever you were) -, I read the local newspaper account of the earthquake in the Abruzzo , Italy. Mexico being such a Catholic country, they report news that you don't normally read in the English press: DID YOU KNOW THAT EVERY SINGLE CHURCH IN THE WHOLE AREA - we are talking numerous villages all around Rome, the epicenter being a mere 70 miles from Rome  - WAS DESTROYED? Good bye, Queen of Heaven, all the Churches dedicated to the idol, flattened! It reminds me of all the Baals destroyed in Egypt during the Exodus, except for Baal Tzefon.

If you read the accounts of the earthquake concerns of the Vatican, below, you will see that I have deliberately included a comment in ITALIAN. The reason is that the English version of S.I.R., the site I quote, does not mention the earthquake at all, whereas in Italian, it is mentioned daily, it is obviously of very great concern to both the ITALIAN AND CATHOLIC POPULATIONS, but their concerns are not shared with the foreign press. Mexico, however, being SPANISH- speaking and CATHOLIC, tells the truth. So I was able to find out what really happened. You can see from the comments below that after the initial show of concern toward their dead, the Vatican's concern for  their idols is foremost, and they will do their utmost to build them anew, collecting money from all their fellow idol worshippers to that effect.

However, seeing Hashem's hand so clearly in this, I would say their efforts are futile. This was so clearly a miracle.

And speaking of miracles, a young man gave a drasha on Pessach on the topic of miracles; he appropriately said that once WE act without fear, like Nachson ben Aminadav, then, and only then, do miracles from Hashem occur.

So,  miracle or not, the news out of Rome is that the agreement will NOT be signed by the time the pope arrives. And MAYBE OUR EFFORTS HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT, would you say?

And by the way, TODAY, APRIL 23, IS THE DATE THE PLENARY SESSION IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE AT THE VATICAN.

I WONDER IF IT WILL TAKE PLACE AT ALL, AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN THERE. WILL SPARKS FLY? OR WILL THE SMILES STAY ON THE LIPS, ALL THE WHILE DURBAN GOES ON?


Of course, the other side of the coin shows up: DURBAN; NO LAND deal? No swap? No signed agreement? Consequence: ANTISEMITISM; of course, as usual cloaked in the garb of fancy words, peace, justice, etc, etc.... but even GERMANY SEES THROUGH THE disguise. EVEN OBAMA refused to take part. But the pope GOES FOR IT.



Please read the news reports below. It makes for interesting reading. The bottom line: THE VATICAN IS FUMING MAD, DESPITE CLAIMS TO THE CONTRARY. DURBAN IS NEXT, (AND OF COURSE, DON'T FORGET THEIR PRAYERS FOR GAZA DURING EASTER celebrations)..... AND THE POPE IS VERY WORRIED ABOUT THE CHURCH'S LOSSES IN ABRUZZO.

All this during the 80th anniversary of the Vatican, and the 800th anniversary of the Franciscans. I am quite sure they had hoped for a different scenario to celebrate their birthdays ( below).. MANN TRACHT, UND GOTT LACHT. Rabot Machshevot beleiv ish, Ve'etzat Hashem hee takum.

Things are just not going as smoothly and well as the pope had hoped for. SOMEBODY UP THERE IS INTERVENING IN OUR FAVOR, and YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS CLEARLY for what it is!

                             
       ********************************************************************************************

Rabbi Ezra T. writes:

Just heard that the Pope is participating in the anti-Semetic Durban Conference opening in Switzerland. Suggest that this be used in broad publicity to have the government cancel his visit.

Best,

Ezra T.


 Ezra is right, it seems. We should use this weapon to the utmost to stop the visit altogether. And if it happens no matter what, we certainly should stop the chillul Hashem of the chief rabbis RUBBER STAMPING THE REGINA COELI PRAYER AT THE HAR TZION LAST SUPPER ROOM:

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=15491


"On Tuesday, May 12, he will visit the Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount in Jerusalem and meet the Grand Mufti. He will also visit the Western Wall and meet with the two Chief Rabbis of Israel at the Hechal Shlomo Centre. At midday he is scheduled to pray the Regina Coeli with the bishops of the Holy Land in the Cenacle of Jerusalem and to make a brief visit to the co-cathedral of the Latins. That afternoon he will celebrate Mass in the Valley of Josaphat."



As a final note, a new ally of ours,

Joel , writes:

name: Joel
country: USA

host: tamar
subject: Vatican Designs
content: Shalom Tamar: Its not news that Shimon Peres has been "negotiating" with the Vatican for many years and that the Vatican has designs on moving "Peter's Chair" to Jerusalem at some time in the future. There are very deep occultic reasons for this. The Vatican believes that Peter was the first Pope and that the Lord Jesus Christ gave him the keys to Heaven. In other words, that the Catholic Church is the one true church and that when the world is "Christianized" under the headship of the Vatican, the Papacy will be given the "keys" to rule the world. Your guest is very knowledgable and should be understood closely. She is absolutely correct about "Replacement Theology" You need to understand that very wicked occultic Israeli and European Jews are very much aligned with the one world goals with the Gentiles (including the Vatican). You can read about this in the Book of Daniel 11:21-45. This Pope is the forerunner of the one world dictator known as the Antichrist, who is very likely to be able to identify himself as at least part Jewish according to Genesis 49:16-18. The goal of the Vatican is first to bring all "Christians" under the authority of the Papacy. They will then join with Islam and all the major world religions to form a one-world (Universal) ecclesiastical order. The current Catholic Catechism makes it plain that all one must do to be considered to be within the Catholic dominated (Universal) ecclesiastical order is to acknowledge the Pope as the world's religious head (the Mideval term is "fealty") Only people naming the name of Jesus Christ are required to become Catholic. (It is rumored the George Bush is becoming a Catholic, like Jeb his brother. As you know, Tony Blair converted to Catholicism). Her warning about the ignorance of the Knesset about this is very apt. But Peres and the other godless Jews in the Israeli elite are very much in favor of all this since they abhor Christ and His claim as Mashiach and are anxiously awaiting their false Mashiach. Again read about him in depth in Daniel 11:21-45 is the most concentrated portion of Scripture for understanding the rise and work of the Antichrist, and should be understood in relationship to references to the Antichrist in Daniel 7, Daniel 8:23-27, Daniel 9:27 and the Book of Revelation. The Catholic Church is very wicked and is being used by occultic Jews and Gentiles within the movement for implimenting the goals of the New Order. I love your guest Daisy Stern, just a great lady. I love her candor in not overstating her knowledge about the Muslim role in all this. That is very hard to understand in the context of Islam as a religion. It is much less difficult to understand in the context of Arab nationalism and Ishmael as the son of Abraham. While I know you are very anti-Christian, you have done all of us that love Israel and the Jewish people a great service. Shalom HaMashiach, Joel.

All the best to all, Yasher Koach, and Chasak Ve'ematz.

DS




1.Vatican Defends Participation in Durban II



April 19, 2009( Zenit.org):

Benedict XVI dedicated some words to recognize the U.N. conference beginning tomorrow in Geneva, following on the 2001 conference in Durban, South Africa, on the issues of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.Exact text below.
"This is an important initiative," he said, "because still today, despite the lessons of history, these deplorable phenomena continue."
He recalled that "the Durban Declaration recognizes that all peoples and individuals constitute one human family, rich in diversity," and that "the preservation and promotion of tolerance, pluralism and respect for diversity can produce more inclusive societies."
The Pope acknowledged: "These affirmations lead to the demand for firm and concrete action, at the national and international levels, to prevent and eliminate every form of discrimination and intolerance.
"There must be a vast educational undertaking that exalts the dignity of the person and teaches fundamental rights.
"The Church, for her part, repeats that only the recognition of the dignity of man, created in the image and likeness of God, can constitute a secure reference for such a task."
He offered his prayers for the delegates to the conference in Geneva, expressing hope that they will "be able to work together, in the spirit of dialogue and reciprocal acceptance, to put an end to every form of racism, discrimination and intolerance, marking in this way a fundamental step toward the affirmation of the universal value of the dignity of man and his rights, in a horizon of respect and justice for every person and people."
 CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, APRIL 19, 2009;  after the REGINA COELI PRAYER( the same prayer to the 'Queen of Heaven", Mary, that he intends to conduct at Har Tzion), these were his words:
[After the Regina Caeli the Pope said:]
First of all I address a cordial greeting and fervent wishes to the brothers and sisters of the Eastern Churches that, following the Julian calendar, celebrate Holy Easter today. May the risen Lord renew the light of faith in all and give abundance of joy and peace.
A conference organized by the United Nations on the 2001 Durban Declaration against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance will begin tomorrow in Geneva. This is an important initiative because still today, despite the lessons of history, these deplorable phenomena continue. The Durban Declaration recognizes that "all peoples and individuals constitute one human family, rich in diversity. They have contributed to the progress of civilizations and cultures that form the common heritage of humanity. Preservation and promotion of tolerance, pluralism and respect for diversity can produce more inclusive societies."
These affirmations lead to the demand for firm and concrete action, at the national and international levels, to prevent and eliminate every form of discrimination and intolerance. There must be a vast educational undertaking that exalts the dignity of the person and teaches fundamental rights. The Church, for her part, repeats that only the recognition of the dignity of man, created in the image and likeness of God, can constitute a secure reference for such a task. From this common origin, in fact, there flows a common human destiny that must awaken in everyone and all a strong sense of solidarity and responsibility. I pray that the delegates present at the conference in Geneva will be able to work together, in the spirit of dialogue and reciprocal acceptance, to put an end to every form of racism, discrimination and intolerance, marking in this way a fundamental step toward the affirmation of the universal value of the dignity of man and his rights, in a horizon of respect and justice for every person and people.
[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]

Iranian President's Declarations Called "Unacceptable"

VATICAN CITY, APRIL 21, 2009 (Zenit.org).- A Vatican spokesman says the Holy See is attending this week's U.N. conference against racism to promote worldwide efforts to stop this type of discrimination.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, spoke Monday evening to Vatican Radio about the Durban Review Conference.
The conference, under way through Friday in Geneva, Switzerland, is being boycotted by 10 countries that claim the symposium is promoting precisely those attitudes it is supposed to oppose.
The conference was called to evaluate progress toward the goals set by a 2001 conference against racism, xenophobia and related intolerance in Durban, South Africa.
However, the first speaker on the opening day Monday was Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who spoke against what he called the "Zionist regime" and said the Holocaust was "dubious."
Father Lombardi called this declaration "unacceptable," saying that if the president did not go to the extreme of denying the Holocaust or outright affirming that Israel should not exist as a state, he still made "extremist and unacceptable" comments.
The Vatican spokesman nevertheless affirmed: "The [U.N.] conference is in itself an important occasion to promote the fight against racism and intolerance. With these intentions, the Holy See is participating, and aims to support the effort of international institutions to take steps in this direction."
Father Lombardi noted that a majority of countries are participating in the conference and that the draft agenda "in itself, is acceptable, since the principal elements that had caused objections were taken out."
The Jesuit declared that it is important to "go on clearly affirming respect for the dignity of the human person, against all racism and intolerance."
"We hope that the conference can still serve to reach this objective," he said. "This is certainly the reason for the commitment of the Holy See delegation to continue in its working sessions."
Clear message

http://www.zenit.org/article-25679?l=english
Today, the Holy See reiterated Father Lombardi's comments with a press statement.
The declaration noted: "[The Vatican] press office wishes to recall the words of Pope Benedict XVI, who said last Sunday: 'I express heartfelt prayers that the delegates present at the Geneva Conference will work together, in a spirit of dialogue and mutual acceptance, so as to put an end to every form of racism, discrimination and intolerance, thereby marking a fundamental step towards the affirmation of the universal value of human dignity and human rights, within a framework of respect and justice for every person and every people.'"
The statement went on to say that the Holy See "deplores the use of this United Nations forum for the adoption of political positions, of an extremist and offensive nature, against any state."
"This does not contribute to dialogue and it provokes an unacceptable atmosphere of conflict," it added. "What is needed, instead, is to make good use of this important opportunity to engage in dialogue together, according to the line of action that the Holy See has always adopted, with a view to effectively combating the racism and intolerance that still today affect children, women, those of African descent, migrants, indigenous peoples etc. in every part of the world. The Holy See, in renewing the Pope's appeal, reiterates that its own delegation at the conference is working in this spirit."

http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15042
Durban II: UN tries to salvage final document
According to various experts (and also according to the Vatican), the document is good, opposes anti-Semitism, and reaffirms that the Holocaust must never be forgotten. At the same time, it warns all member states against racism and intolerance based on race or religion.


AsiaNews, April 22, 2009
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15051&size=A#
UN - IRAN - ISRAEL
Durban II: final declaration approved. Tension between Israel and Iran (and Oslo) remains
The controversy raised by the Iranian president risked polarizing the good results obtained by the text. The Vatican delegation is satisfied. Judges of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. and Norwegian lawyers accuse Israel of war crimes and ethnic cleansing during the recent war in Gaza.





Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-25603?l=english

2.Pope Sends Vatican Firemen for Earthquake Aid


Caritas Workers Bring Hope To Area of Grave Destruction

ROME, APRIL 7, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is sending aid to earthquake victims in the form of Vatican firemen, while Caritas workers move forward to assist the affected towns.

Eight rescue workers, sent by the Holy See with the express permission of the Pope, have been collaborating since Monday to help victims of the earthquake in the Abruzzo region, said the corps' commander, Domenico Giani, on Vatican Radio.

The earthquake, measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale, struck close to the city of L'Aquila, around 70 miles northeast of Rome. Officials report 228 dead, 15 people missing, and around 1,000 injured.

The official explained: "During the night, no sooner than the tragedy was known, I spoke with our superiors, with Bishop Renato Boccardo and Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, secretary and president respectively of the Governor's Office for Vatican City State. Then we informed the Holy Father, the Secretary of State and the whole Secretariat."

"It seemed to us obligatory, at this time of great sorrow, that a team of our firemen should be present to give a hand," he added, explaining that the Vatican security forces "are also prepared in this area of security and civil protection."

Team approach

The Vatican sent a structural engineer to the area, and an eight-member team, with resources for civil protection and aid for the population.

The team is working in collaboration with the Italian emergency services in one of the most affected areas, the village of Onna, where 41 of the 250 inhabitants perished.

Giani said, "They worked throughout the night, recovering bodies, but now they are dedicated above all to helping the population, recovering what can be salvaged and giving moral support."

"The Holy See," he added, "with its different structures -- Cor Unum, Caritas -- always takes aid in the name of the Holy Father, when there is an emergency." "In this case," he said, "in addition to material and economic aid, professional help has also been provided."

The engineer, Paolo De Angelis, explained on Vatican Radio that the situation "is disastrous" and that despite this, "solidarity between persons" is being manifested.

He continued: "We have been received very positively: this is the message we wished to bring, a message of solidarity which the population has fully welcomed.

"The present climate among the inhabitants is one of consternation. Here above all what people need is consolation, as they have been left without anything by the earthquake."

Grave destruction

Father Vittorio Nozza, the director of Caritas in Italy, told ZENIT that the earthquake's destruction has been very grave, and "not one single house was spared from demolition."

He arrived today to L'Aquila and met with the diocesan bishop, Archbishop Giuseppe Molinari, and with the regional director of Caritas, Alberto Conti.

He said Caritas is meeting with each of the parish priests of the area "to hear firsthand what the most urgent needs are."

They agreed "to divide the affected territory into seven areas to facilitate a homogeneous aid intervention." A coordination center for Italian and diocesan Caritas is to be established immediately which will work not only during this time of emergency but also in the long-term for the region's reconstruction.

They stated the goal to provide places of shelter for children, the elderly and the sick, so that adults can dedicate themselves to reorganizing their daily life.

The priest said: "There is much composure in the villages we have been to, but in places where they have lost one or more loved ones, the question is very strong: Where is God? We answer this question with prayer and our closeness."

Father Dionisio Rodriguez, local Caritas director and pastor in Paganica, a town close to L'Aquila, plans to celebrate Easter Sunday Mass on a sports field for the earthquake victims.

"Easter Sunday offers a sign of hope and optimism," he said, "People aren't feeling much joy at the moment, but Easter Sunday provides us with a sign of life and renewal."

Mercoledi 22 Aprile 2009
17:24 - TERREMOTO IN ABRUZZO: CHIESE DANNEGGIATE, DOMANI INCONTRO TRA ARCIVESCOVO E MINISTRO
(L'Aquila) – "Si terrà domani nel pomeriggio l'incontro tra l'arcivescovo de L'Aquila, mons. Giuseppe Molinari, e il ministro dei Beni Culturali, Sandro Bondi. Lo ha confermato al Sir don Claudio Tracanna, portavoce dell'arcivescovo. L'incontro avverrà al termine del Consiglio dei Ministri che si terrà domani a L'Aquila. "Il ministro – ha aggiunto don Tracanna - ha espresso il desiderio di visitare alcune chiese ma molto dipenderà dalle condizioni atmosferiche". All'incontro parteciperà anche Luciano Marchetti, vicecommissario della protezione civile per il recupero dei beni storici culturali dell'Abruzzo rimasti danneggiati dal terremoto. Nei giorni scorsi i tecnici del ministero dei beni culturali e della diocesi, accompagnati dai Vigili del Fuoco, hanno effettuato i sopralluoghi in tutte le chiese del centro storico per le schedature. "Per il restauro – ha spiegato il portavoce – la diocesi dovrebbe poter accedere ai finanziamenti stanziati dall'Unione Europea per l'emergenza. Con questi fondi si potrà coprire una cifra pari dal 70 all'80% degli interventi di recupero. Altri fondi arriveranno dal ministero dei Beni Culturali e dall'8 per mille alla Chiesa Cattolica".

3.Papal Preparation Aids Vatican-Israeli Relations



Formal Negotiations Not Expected to Conclude

JERUSALEM, APRIL 8, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Preparation for Benedict XVI's Holy Land visit is advancing the relationship between the Holy See and Israel, though formal agreements are still pending, notes the Franciscan custodians Web site.

The Franciscan Custodians of the Holy Land, a group that is helping plan the Pope's May 8-15 visit, published online an article by Marie Armelle Beaulieu, which analyzed the current atmosphere in Jerusalem.

The article noted that although this Papal trip will not conclude the pending agreements between the Holy See and Israel, the friendly atmosphere the visit has generated is serving to advance towards that objective.

The agreements currently being negotiated, within a bilateral commission of Israeli and Vatican negotiators, will govern the legal status of the Catholic Church in that country. This follows the Fundamental Agreement, signed in 1993, which established the diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Israel.

In recent months, the committee's meetings have made such progress that it was believed the negotiations might be concluded on the occasion of the Papal visit.

Father David Jaeger, an Israeli Franciscan and expert in relations between the Church and the State of Israel, stated, "there is no relation between the works of the bilateral commission and the Holy Father's pilgrimage, with the exception, of course, of the 'good atmosphere,' as the latter has made possible the intensification of negotiations."

Pilgrimage

He continued, "In any event, we must recall that the Holy Father is preparing to make a pilgrimage, that is, a spiritual journey to pray in the holy places of revelation and to visit the Christian community; he will also have important meetings with the civil authorities of the states and territories that are found today in the holy places, and of which believers form part as citizens, namely: the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Israel and the Palestinian Territories."

The article stated that there is no hope that these agreements will be signed now, "but yes" that the signing is "not too far off."

At present the negotiators of the Holy See and Israel are studying the "Economic Agreement," with which the fiscal regime and the Church's properties will be regulated.

However, the article noted, 15 years after the inauguration of the Israel-Holy See Fundamental Agreement on March 10, 1994, and 10 years after the Agreement on the Legal Personality of the Church (February 3, 1999), the signed and ratified treaties have yet to be included in the juridical order by the Israeli Parliament. Therefore, it clarified, they cannot be applied by the courts, which seriously limits them.

The journalist explained that when the Holy See established diplomatic relations with the State of Israel in 1993, as a gesture of good will, Pope John Paul II opted for a Fundamental Treaty, and left the negotiation of the details of the issues for later.

http://www.zenit.org/article-25612?l=english

4.Franciscans Going "Home" for 800th Birthday


Will Commemorate Meeting Called by St. Francis

ROME, APRIL 8, 2009 (Zenit.org).- More than 2,000 Franciscans will gather in Assisi next week, marking 800 years since the approval of St. Francis' Rule, as well as the first international general chapter the founder called.

The April 15-18 meeting was presented Tuesday at Vatican Radio by the minister-general of the Order of Friars Minor, Father José Rodríguez Carballo.
  
The chapter will mark Pope Innocent III's approval of the Rule of St. Francis in April 1209. It also will point to the first general chapter of the Franciscans, called by Francis in 1221, five years before his death. That meeting gathered 5,000 friars and came to be known as the chapter of the "mats"; due to a lack of beds, the friars slept on mats on the floor.

"This chapter of the mats will be an intense moment of witness to the world as fraternity and reflection on the fundamental topics of our life," explained Father Rodríguez Carballo.

The delegates will meet in Assisi and later in Rome, in representation of the 35,000 Franciscan friars of four denominations present in 65 countries.

An April 18 audience with Benedict XVI will bring the chapter to a close.

During the three days, the Franciscans plan to reflect on hospitality, witness, the meaning of penance and fasting, and gratitude.

Father Rodríguez Carballo also noted that time will be spent reflecting on the missionary commitment, given that the Franciscans are the first missionary order: "St. Francis is the first founder who wrote in his rule a chapter for missions in Christian lands, but he is also the first to write a chapter for the 'missio ad gentes,' for those who went among the Saracens and other non-Christians.

"We have always been on the frontier of evangelization and this will be our commitment also for the future. The world is our cloister."

Those unable to attend the chapter will be able to follow it live on the Internet at TeleRadio Padre Pio.

See also:

http://www.zenit.org/article-25669?l=english

For more information on the Franciscan Order.

Speaking of CONVERSIONS, remember that just this past March 19th, the Church installed a JEWISH CONVERT JESUIT PRIEST, DAVID NEUHAUS IN HAIFA, for the purpose of CONVERTING JEWS, apparently!

http://religionclause.blogspot.com/2009/02/80th-anniversary-of-vatican-city-state.html

5.Tuesday, February 17, 2009 ( a day before the giddy announcement that everything is going according to the pope's plans!)


80th Anniversary of Vatican City State Marked By Conference

February 11 was the 80th anniversary of the signing of the Lateran Accords that created Vatican City as a separate political state. A conference to commemorate the anniversary was held Feb. 12 to 14, with sessions in Rome and the Vatican. The conference was titled A Small Territory for a Great Mission. Zenit.org reports that Pope Benedict XVI addressed conference participants last Saturday, describing Vatican City State as a "shelter of absolute independence of the Holy See."

MEETING OF BILATERAL WORKING COMMISSION HOLY SEE - ISRAEL

VATICAN CITY, 19 FEB 2009 (VIS) - The Bilateral Permanent Working Commission between the Holy See and the State of Israel met yesterday, 18 February, at the Israeli ministry of foreign affairs, to continue negotiations on the "Economic Agreement" concerning fiscal and property matters, according to a communique released today.


"The meeting was characterised by great cordiality and a spirit of co- operation. Progress was achieved, and the delegations renewed their joint commitment to conclude the Agreement as soon as possible. The next meeting of this working-level commission will take place on 7 April."


http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vis/dinamiche/b2_en.htm

Geneva (AsiaNews) - The final declaration of Durban II was hastily approved by voice vote yesterday evening. The Vatican is expressing its satisfaction, but meanwhile the controversy continues between Israel and Iran. Norway and Iran want to try Tel Aviv for the bombings in Gaza.
Originally, the final declaration was supposed to have been voted on at the end of the conference, on April 24, but because of the media explosion provoked by the speech of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the decision was made to approve the document early. Ahmadinejad's accusations against Israel, the abandoning of the conference by some of the European delegates, and the boycott by some Western countries risked absolutizing one aspect of the issue of racism, while the final document, which is relatively balanced, calls upon the international community to combat all forms of religious, ethnic, and racial discrimination, as well as marginalization and intolerance of AIDS patients, women, etc . . .
The Vatican delegation that participated in the UN conference said that it was satisfied with the final declaration. In an interview with Vatican Radio, Msgr. Silvano Tomasi, a permanent observer at the UN in Geneva, said that "the document is not perfect, but it respects the essential points of human rights, and opens the way to proceed forward in negotiations on a variety of issues that, for the first time, were accepted in a universal manner.
On returning to Tehran, Ahmadinejad was met at the airport by a jubilant crowd that blocked the car transporting him. He said that "Israel suffered a serious blow" in Geneva. But in the international press (excluding that of Iran), no appreciation is being expressed for his speech, and some have called what happened in the hall last April 20 "a circus show." Yesterday, the Iranian president accused Israel of "brutal acts" and "ethnic cleansing" toward the Palestinians. And he did this at a meeting of more than 200 judges from the countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Tehran. The judges are looking for ways to accuse Tel Aviv of war crimes and genocide in the war in Gaza in December of 2008 and January of 2009.
According to Agence France Presse, Norwegian lawyers have accused the Israeli leaders of war crimes for the Gaza offensive. According to the Norwegian criminal code, the courts can open proceedings that include serious violations of human rights. The lawyers have said that they will charge Tzipi Livni (prime minister at the time) and Ehud Barak (defense minister at the time), asking for their extradition and arrest.

Also., JOEL sent this:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090419/ap_on_re_eu/un_un_racism_conference
Geneva (AsiaNews) - On the second day of the conference against racism, UN representatives are trying to contain the possible fallout after the aggressive speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad against racism in Israel, which prompted at least 30 representatives, most of them European, to leave the hall.
Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, explained to the media that "what was said in the [Iranian] president's speech has had nothing to do with the substance of the conference, and so it should also have nothing to do with the results." Pillay asked the delegates not to let Durban II - the nickname for the conference - be "sabotaged" by "one person who has come with these unsavory remarks," calling Ahmadinejad "somebody who traditionally makes obnoxious statements." "So here I would appeal that you focus on," she continued, addressing the delegates, is "all the important work that has been done for this conference."
UN secretary Ban Ki-moon also condemned Ahmadinejad's speech, "directly opposing the aim of the meeting," but also highlighted the importance of the draft document against racism, xenophobia, and intolerance, which urges all states to guarantee the rights and freedoms of ethnic and religious minorities.
In general, the experts agree that the document to be approved has nothing to do with Ahmadinejad's speech. The draft document clearly condemns "incidents of racial or religious intolerance and violence, including Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Christianophobia and anti-Arabism manifested in particular by the derogatory stereotyping and stigmatization of persons based on their religion or belief (no. 12)." Moreover, in paragraph no. 66, it reminds members states - and therefore Iran as well - that "the Holocaust must never be forgotten." Only the preamble, with its positive statements about Durban I (in 2001), three lines in all, risks ratifying the methods and contents of the previous conference, in which only the state of Israel was accused of racism.
Appreciation for the draft, and condemnation of Ahmadinejiad's speech, have been expressed in a note from the Czech president of the European Union. The EU is divided over the conference: the Czech Republic, Germany, Holland, Poland, and Italy have boycotted it, while others - including Great Britain and France - are participating. The note affirms that the 22 member states present "will continue to participate in the conference," and that they "have no particular substantial difficulties with the draft of the final document, and are ready to give their approval during its adoption on Friday," at the closing of the encounter.
Fr. Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, has called the new UN document against racism "acceptable," and also criticized Ahmadinejiad's positions as "extremist and unacceptable," even if "he did not deny the Holocaust and Israel's right to exist." In the past, the Iranian president has repeatedly stated that the Holocaust is a fake, and that he wants to "wipe Israel off the face of the map."





No comments: