Bishops criticise Israel and Hizbullah

The Irish Catholic bishops have criticised both Israel and Hizbullah for the violence in Lebanon and called on the Government to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those in need.

In a statement yesterday the Irish Catholic Bishops' Commission for Justice and Social Affairs said that in the present conflict, it was Hizbullah and its allies who were the aggressors and that the terrorist actions of Hizbullah and those countries which sponsors its activities were to be unreservedly condemned.

However, it said that the scale of the military response by Israel to the abduction of two of its soldiers by Hizbullah "could not be justified".

The commission said that there was a need to address the causes of terrorism in the Middle East which included "the multiple human rights abuses suffered by the Palestinian population and the grave humanitarian situation" that currently existed in Gaza and the West Bank.

The commission, which is chaired by Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin Dr Raymond Field, said it unreservedly condemned the direct targeting of the UN post in south Lebanon by Israeli forces last week which resulted in the deaths of four unarmed international observers.

It praised the contribution of the UN, including the Irish Defence Forces, for their efforts to bring peace and stability to Lebanon. The commission said terrorism was both morally repugnant and politically ineffective.

"In this context, the continuing terrorist actions of Hizbullah and those countries who supplied Hizbullah with such sophisticated weaponry are to be unreservedly condemned. To what end is this weaponry supplied? It is hard to argue with those who believe that their aim is to threaten the very existence of Israel. In this context, any objective moral evaluation must start by acknowledging that it is Hizbullah and its allies who are the aggressors, not Israel, and that Israel has a right to defend itself against acts of aggression," it stated.

However, the bishops said that given the appalling loss of life and the scale of the destruction of the infrastructure in Lebanon, the bombardment by the Israeli forces was also unacceptable. "The recourse to what amounts to war against a sovereign country in response to terrorists' attacks can never be justified."

The commission said that there were some in positions of power who falsely believed that modern military technology used against a largely civilian population could be effective in achieving political goals. "Terrorism will never be overcome unless the causes of terrorism are both acknowledged and addressed."

It also said that recognition of the state of Israel also entailed recognition of the state of Palestine.