Vatican, Israeli spokesmen heat up war of words over terrorism

Published: 2005-07-29

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Spokesmen for the Vatican and for Israel's Foreign Ministry heated up their war of words over papal condemnations of terrorist attacks. Nimrod Barkan, the Foreign Ministry official in charge of Jewish affairs, told The Jerusalem Post July 26 the Vatican had a habit of not condemning terrorism against Israel and "now that there is a new pope, we have decided to deal with it." He said, "Since they never paid a price for the lack of a condemnation, they continued to do it. But if they understand we won't let this pass quietly, I assume they will change their ways." Hours later, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the Vatican spokesman, responded by saying that since Barkan knew the Foreign Ministry's "presumptuous accusation" against Pope Benedict XVI July 25 was unfounded he turned his attention to the "asserted silences of John Paul II."

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