Vatican "deplores" Israel's attack on Lebanon

AKI

The Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, on Friday condemned Israel's military offensive in Lebanon and urged both sides in the conflict to begin a "sincere dialogue" to bring peace. "In particular the Holy See now deplores the attack on Lebanon, a free and sovereign nation, and assures its closeness to those people, who have already suffered so much for the defence of their independence," Sodano said in a statement released by Vatican Radio.

While not specifically naming them, Sodano also appeared to condemn attacks launched by Lebanese Hezbollah militants that began on Wednesday with the capture of two Israeli soldiers and the killing of eight others.

"As in the past also the Holy See condemns both the terrorist attacks from one side and the military reprisals on the other," the statement said.

But Sodano suggested that the reaction of Israel, which has hit back by launching a bombing campaign in southern Lebanon as well as the country's capital Beirut, was excessive.

"In fact one state's right to defend itself does not exempt it from respecting the norms of international law, especially whith regards to safeguarding civilian populations," he said in the statement. Link