Bishop Peter Cullinane
I am not one who angers easily but recently I have been increasingly very angry. The actions, and attitudes, of the Israeli government, and its treatment of the Palestinian peoples are, in my opinion, an insult to humanity on the part of people who were themselves the undeserving victims of a master-race ideology.
It would be equally abhorrent if the excesses of Zionism were to rekindle anti-Semitism which, as Christians, we totally oppose; we also acknowledge the rightful claims of the State of Israel. Threats against it would diminish if the rights of the Palestinian people were also fully respected.
Without defending terrorist activities, it helps to remember that terrorism is mostly retaliation by desperate people against an oppressor and against hopeless odds.
I ask you to form a compassionate and courageous public opinion. I know that New Zealand counts for little in the daily life of the more powerful nations, but our international reputation is good, and we should encourage our government to maximise New Zealand’s influence at the United Nations.
A Pastoral Letter from the Catholic Bishops of Aotearoa New Zealand (extended version)
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