Church official weighs in on escalating Middle East violence

Published: 2006-07-14

JERUSALEM (CNS) -- Although an unprovoked Hezbollah attack on Israel in which two soldiers were kidnapped and Katyusha rockets were lobbed into northern cities is "unacceptable," Israel's response is not "appropriate," said a Catholic theologian in Jerusalem. "I don't know why Hezbollah did what they did. It is unacceptable to (launch) rockets into Rosh Pina, Tzfat, Meron, Haifa (in Israel). I think Israel has to react. They can't tolerate the taking of soldiers, the Katyushas," said Father Michael McGarry, rector of the Tantur Ecumenical Institute for Theological Studies in Jerusalem. "They have to do something in response, but killing civilians is not appropriate." Israel was holding Lebanon responsible for the kidnapping and attacks as opposed to the past when they only blamed Hezbollah, he added. The United States considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization. However, the Lebanese government regards Hezbollah as a legitimate resistance movement fighting Israeli occupation of Lebanese territories. Hezbollah has carved out its own territory in southern Lebanon.

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