Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., November 10, 2008 Cheshvan 12, 5769 | | Israel Time: 02:03 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate U.S. election Travel Week's End Anglo File
Kadima supporters' website brands Pope Benedict with Nazi swastika
By Reuters
Tags: Pope Benedict, Jewish World 

A photograph of Pope Benedict XVI emblazoned with a superimposed Nazi swastika appeared on Monday on a website run by self-proclaimed supporters of the Kadima party.

It was later removed, and replaced with a picture of a smiling Benedict overlooking a crowd-filled St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, after what "the Yalla Kadima" site said was a request from Kadima's leader, prime minister-designate Tzipi Livni.

"Tzipi Livni strongly condemns this and we are working to remove this shameful picture. We strongly oppose this. It doesn't represent Kadima," spokesman Amir Goldstein said shortly before the photo was changed.
Advertisement
It was the latest twist in a controversy over whether the German-born Pope should promote the sainthood of his Nazi-era predecessor Pius XII.

Pius, who reigned from 1939 to 1958, has been accused by some Jews of turning a blind eye to the Holocaust during World War II, a charge his supporters and the Vatican deny.

"Yalla Kadima", which describes itself as a portal for "activists and supporters" of the Kadima party, had carried the swastika-emblazoned photo of Benedict alongside an article on the sainthood controversy.

On Saturday, the Vatican urged both Catholics and Jews to stop creating "pressure" over the issue of sainthood for Pius.

Last year, the Vatican's saint-making department voted in favor of a decree recognizing Pius' "heroic virtues", a step in a long process toward possible sainthood that began in 1967.

Benedict has so far not approved the decree - which is needed for beatification, the last step before sainthood - opting for what the Vatican has called a period of reflection.

He has repeatedly defended Pius, saying he worked "secretly and silently" during World War Two to "avoid the worst and save the greatest number of Jews possible".

In remarks on Monday, President Shimon Peres said: "If the former Pope Pius helped the Jews, it can be proven, but if he didn't this should also be proven.

"I know the current Pope and I am convinced he will go into the subject in depth and that we can all live with the facts and whatever necessary conclusions are drawn," Peres told reporters.


Related articles:
  • Pope Benedict: Pius XII 'spared no effort' to help Jews during WWII
  • ADL urges Pope to suspend Pius sainthood over Holocaust inaction
  • Vatican: Pius XII sainthood process not stalled
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Never again
    Israel, Germany mark 70 years since the Night of the Broken Glass.
    Financial freefall
    Global financial storms threaten empire of Jewish billionaire Sheldon Adelson.
      1.   Probably from the same Jews ... 12:47  |  Axel 20/10/08
      2.   POOR FORM - HERE IS ACTUAL PHOTO 13:47  |  Barry S. Roffman 20/10/08
      3.   #1 - Even A Broken Clock is Right Twice a Day 14:08  |  Barry S. Roffman 20/10/08
      4.   Was Pius an Anti-Semite? 14:36  |  Fritz T. 20/10/08
      5.   Dünkle-Deutche Fritzi,the answer is "Yes" 15:51  |  Absolute Sweden 20/10/08
      6.   Rotten political apples everywhere, in Israel also 17:17  |  H.H.M. 20/10/08
      7.   Although I Disagree With The Vatican... 17:17  |  Yosemite 20/10/08
      8.   Why do Wars happen??? 17:31  |  Joe 20/10/08
      9.   Fritz T on Pope Pius XII 17:34  |  Yaakov Sullivan 20/10/08
      10.   Popes 17:42  |  The Teacher/Instruct 20/10/08
      11.   A Question of NON-IMPORTANCE 17:53  |  Shimon Cleopas 20/10/08
      12.   Think deeply about it 18:08  |  Shimon Cleopas 20/10/08
      13.   SHIMON #11 - JESUS NOT THE ANSWER 18:18  |  Barry S. Roffman 20/10/08
      14.   #12 - JUDAISM, MESSIAH, AND PEACE 18:24  |  Barry S. Roffman 20/10/08
      15.   Popes, turning blind eyes on atrocities. 18:41  |  Dr. Joji Cherian 20/10/08
      16.   destroying catholic jewish relationship 18:51  |  yjk 20/10/08
      17.   ISRAEL crimes are FRUIT OF VATICAN CONCORDAT 19:10  |  Barry S. Roffman 20/10/08
      18.   #13 Barry Roffman 19:16  |  Lou Medel 20/10/08
      19.   #16: JESUS NEVER WORE SWASTIKA, Pope did 19:18  |  Barry S. Roffman 20/10/08
      20.   Religious sensitivities 19:54  |  Chris Linthwaite 20/10/08
      21.   #20 Swastikas Barry? 19:58  |  Lou Medel 20/10/08
      22.   # 16 Roffman et al. - ignorant people 20:04  |  David 20/10/08
      23.   LOU #19 - NO RECONCILIATION with JESUS 20:04  |  Barry S. Roffman 20/10/08
      24.   Ironic 20:07  |  Satan 20/10/08
      25.   bad taste and stupid action 20:08  |  x-ray 20/10/08
      26.   barrie roffman on jesus 20:19  |  yaakov sullivan 20/10/08
      27.   not the right time 20:54  |  Giovanni 20/10/08
      28.   #27: NOTHING out of CONTEXT, ONLY PAIN 21:12  |  Barry S. Roffman 20/10/08
      29.   # 11 Actually the third temple is already partly build 21:15  |  Kris Lazar 20/10/08
      30.   A little respect goes a long way 21:47  |  Morris Valentine 20/10/08
      31.   Barry Roffman has an axe to grind 21:59  |  Yaakov Sullivan 20/10/08
      32.   To Barry Roffman #3 22:01  |  Colin Wright 20/10/08
      33.   #1Axel-we remember Munich olympics when German security-really ef 22:28  |  Susanna/Shoshana 20/10/08
      34.   to 17 hollingsNOTworth a dime 22:28  |  Charles 20/10/08
      35.   To 9 Yacub sullivan 22:42  |  Charles 20/10/08
      36.   Really Haaretz 22:50  |  the truth 20/10/08
      37.   #7Yosemite,you miss the point-the Swaztica on his current photo 23:02  |  Susanna/Shoshana 20/10/08
      38.   The Pope and Fascism: must read 23:07  |  Crux Amsata 20/10/08
      39.   The Vatican knew that when you open a can of worms 23:18  |  Lance 20/10/08
      40.   #32 23:29  |  Barry S. Roffman 20/10/08
      41.   Saint Pius XII 23:30  |  capitalist 20/10/08
      42.   #9Sullivan,Italy saved circa 80plus% of their Jewish population b 23:32  |  Susanna/Shoshana 20/10/08
      43.   # 2 Barry S. Roffman - it is forged! 23:33  |  Frank 20/10/08
      44.   #33: TAKING BACK WHAT ROME STOLE 1st 23:35  |  Barry S. Roffman 20/10/08
      45.   # 25 to satan`s disciple 23:39  |  The Teacher/Instruct 20/10/08
      46.   to Axel 00:17  |  eva 21/10/08
      47.   Clean House 00:25  |  Ben 21/10/08
      48.   to Axel 00:33  |  eva 21/10/08
      49.   PROVEN!!?? 00:59  |  Fritz 21/10/08
      50.   41Barry R, What you saying man? 01:15  |  Ben 21/10/08
      51.   #41 the Capitalist 01:32  |  excommunicated 21/10/08
      52.   Susanna/Shoshana 04:57  |  Yosemite 21/10/08
      53.   Another Man comes into Egypt 06:31  |  Shimon Cleopas 21/10/08
      54.   #52yosemite,Actually you are right-the story was second hand 08:11  |  Susanna/Shoshana 21/10/08
      55.   #52,Yosemite,recently I met a man in the doctors office-he said 08:44  |  Susanna/Shoshana 21/10/08
      56.   Fritz 49 08:58  |  Charles 21/10/08
      57.   Yakov Sullivan 10:22  |  the truth 21/10/08
      58.   While you at it, stick a swastika on the Lehi ribbon 12:00  |  Natallie Durson 21/10/08
      59.   # 48 eva 12:47  |  Axel 21/10/08
      60.   the truth and his version 14:53  |  Yaakov Sullivan 21/10/08
      61.   BOTH ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME 15:11  |  indrajaya 21/10/08
      62.   No natallie , # 58 . On your head ! 15:12  |  Charles 21/10/08
      63.   Swastika on a Pope is "Natural" 16:06  |  Gabriel 21/10/08
      64.   Really?? 17:21  |  Billy 21/10/08
      65.   Its more the "religious" people starting wars! 17:33  |  Tom Clark 21/10/08
      66.   Axel, no you don`t come close to getting it 18:12  |  x-ray 21/10/08
      67.   ruffman 20:51  |  Anthony 21/10/08
      68.   64 20:55  |  Anthony 21/10/08
      69.   # 66 x-ray 21:05  |  Axel 21/10/08
      70.   Jesus was a Jew as were ALL of his diciples 21:59  |  Gregor 21/10/08
      71.   Roman Catholicism and swastika 22:22  |  Gregor 21/10/08
      72.   Pius XII will reach sainthood by Xmas 23:48  |  Mattell 21/10/08
      73.   Inability to ID real Nazis a real problem 01:15  |  John Isenhower 22/10/08
      74.   teacher/instruct 10 01:29  |  potobac 22/10/08
      75.   Benedict might explain... 05:36  |  Seymour 22/10/08
      76.   potobac 15:08  |  The Teacher/Instruct 23/10/08
      77.   jesus was a jew as were all of his diciples 01:36  |  G.B. 10/11/08
     Read & React
    Amira Hass: Haniyeh willing to accept Palestine with 1967 borders
    Responses: 308
    Gideon Levy: Let's hope Obama won't be a 'friend of Israel'
    Responses: 174
    At Rabin memorial, Barak calls right-wing extremists 'cancerous growths'
    Responses: 117
    Iran slams Obama's tough language on nuclear arms
    Responses: 145
    Syria President: Israel is not genuine about peace
    Responses: 57


    More Headlines
    19:24 Hamas: No room to implement long-term truce with Israel
    21:45 Blackouts flicker through Gaza as power station runs out of fuel
    17:44 Barak: Israel should consider firing back at Qassam launchers
    16:04 Livni: We see the need for a Palestine, as long as it's not a terror state
    20:11 Elderly Palestinian couple evicted from East Jerusalem home despite U.S. protest
    00:00 Once again, monks come to blows at Church of Holy Sepulcher
    01:06 Living the Vision / 'I knew my life's goal was to try and make Israel find peace'
    23:10 Partial airport work stoppage threatens departing flights to U.S.
    01:09 Peres at Rabin memorial: Oslo Accords served the supreme Zionist interest
    17:16 Former Chief Rabbi Lau named as chair of Yad Vashem council
    23:57 VIDEO / Syria President: Israel is not genuine about peace
    15:07 Global financial storms threaten empire of Jewish billionaire, philanthropist Adelson
    20:52 Border policeman gets one year for killing Palestinian in Jaffa
    21:25 'Anti-Semitism must never be given an opportunity in Europe again,' says German chancellor
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Living in Israel Studying in English
    Click & Meet our students from all around the world
    Dan Boutique Jerusalem
    New Dan Hotel in Jerusalem Young, Fun & Distinctively Dan Book Now Online!
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Car rental in Israel
    Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates.
    Dial 013 for your long-distance calls
    and get all your money back
    US CITIZENS
    Vote for real change. Request your ballot today!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved