Francis’ Visit to Mideast: He’s No Honest Broker
Unfortunately, during his trip to the Middle East, Pope Francis made some tactical errors that will not enhance the chances for peace in the region (“Politics, Pilgrimage & the Pope,” Editorial, May 24).
Instead of honoring the link between Judaism and Christianity by visiting Israel first, he chose to journey instead to a majorityMuslim nation. He declared on arriving in Ramallah next that he recognized a Palestinian state, an issue which is up to negotiation.
He chose to pose with Mahmoud Abbas in front of a poster accusing Israel of occupation, brutality and ethnic cleansing. Instead of offering a meeting between the acknowledged two leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, he appropriately chose Mahmoud Abbas, but also Shimon Peres, who holds the figurehead presidency of Israel instead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Perhaps all of these gestures were designed to protect the dwindling Christian population in Arab lands, but it disqual ified him as a neutral and evenhanded individual in any proposed peace talks.
Nelson Marans
Silver Spring, Md.
All high officials like the pope and Secretary of State John Kerry should demand, when they meet with Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, that the destruction of Israel be taken out of its charter. Their relationship to terrorist group Hamas should also be discontinued. The only politician who expressed common sense on this issue is Sen. Rand Paul, who said America should not give another penny to the Palestinian Authority if its charter wasn’t changed to accept Israel as having the right to exist.
Why did we give Yasser Arafat billions of dollars?
JR Cummings
Manhattan
Once again, a pope has shown the true colors of the Catholic Church.
Francis is an Argentine, a citizen of the country that provided passports and sanctuary to Nazi criminals after World War II, a country that did not declare war on Germany until six weeks before the end of the war, and then only because the Organization of American States was prepared to declare war on Argentina.
His putting on the symbol of the Palestinian cause is proof positive of where his true feelings lie. “By his acts shall he be known” is still true.
Judith Durah
Spring Creek