The Pope's Pivotal Palestinian Moment

[DonViejo]

Barbie Latza Nadeau

Pontiff stops to pray at the graffiti-covered Palestinian side of the “separation wall”

In the days ahead of Pope Francis’s visit to the Middle East, his handlers in Rome were adamant that it would be a “purely religious”, not political, journey. But apparently, no one told the pope.

On Sunday, in what will be the epochal image from his visit, the pontiff diverted his popemobile to stop and pray at the graffiti-covered Palestinian side of the “separation wall” that divides the West Bank. A young girl holding a Palestinian flag stood at his side. He placed his hand near the words “Free Palestine” written in red paint in English before touching the wall with his forehead. The pope then went one step further by inviting both the Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas and the Israeli president Shimon Peres to visit what he referred to as “my home” in the Vatican on June 6 for what will be an impromptu peace summit at the Holy See.

The stop was a surprise even to the pope’s own people. Papal spokesperson Father Federico Lombardi told reporters traveling in the papal entourage, “I was not informed. It was planned by him the day before. It was a very significant way to demonstrate his participation in suffering. It was a profound spiritual moment in front of a symbol of division."

Later, after a mass in Manger Square attended by thousands of Palestinian Christians, he underscored his hope for peace in the Middle East, sending a clear message by calling the conflict “increasingly unacceptable” and using the term “State of Palestine” which Israel rejects. He had flown in by helicopter from Jordan to Bethlehem in order to avoid traveling through Israeli checkpoints, which delighted Palestinians. “There is a need to intensify efforts and initiatives aimed at creating the conditions for a stable peace based on justice, on the recognition of rights for every individual, and on mutual security,” he said.

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http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/05/26/the-pope-s-pivotal-palestinian-moment.html

[cbayer]

1. Too bad this is being used as another political football for people to throw dirt

at each other.

Should be interesting to see if his invitations to the vatican are accepted.

[TygrBright]

2. I am beginning to fear for his life.

With each small step he takes into "inappropriate" territory...

...such small steps, taken so deliberately and yet quietly...

...he is becoming a greater and greater threat to the "end justifies the means" oligarchy that controls our societies.

They can't possibly allow him to live.

I'm fairly sure that at this point it's a matter of running the calculations: Is he more dangerous alive, or more dangerous as a martyr?

They've left him alive so far in the hopes that he'd make a wrong move, or that he'd stay in only marginally dicey territory, and/or that he'd fuel enough hostility by not moving quickly enough or flamboyantly enough on the highly-visible controversies, to spike his own potency.

It is becoming clear that he won't play ball that way.

The bottom line may be becoming increasingly skewed toward "Less dangerous as a martyr."

They will be wrong, of course, because the lens they see through is so grotesquely distorted by greed and self-interest and concern for the comfort of the status quo.

But in the mean time, it may be too late for a man with enormous moral power, attempting to live like Christ.

sadly,
Bright

[cbayer]

3. I am hopeful that he has enough public support for anyone to

seriously think about hurting him.

And if they did, I think the martyr option would come heavily into play and, imho, that would be more dangerous for them.

I remain optimistic.

[okasha]

4. I'm also concerned for his safety.

I pray for him daily.