He is notorious as a Holocaust-denying anti-Semite, who also disapproves of The Sound of Music and women who wear trousers. Whereas the two latter are unlikely to lead to a genocide of trouser-clad women, or singing nuns and children wearing old curtains, the former is dangerous. The embers of anti-Jewish prejudice have never been extinguished and could easily be fanned into life again.

‘Bishop’ Richard Williamson, or Mr Williamson as the Telegraph calls him is no longer excommunicated. Dismay at the idea of welcoming an openly anti-Semitic prelate back into the Church has been expressed by Catholics as well as Jews.

The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales hasten to distance themselves from his views, taking the opportunity to condemn anti-Semitism while they are at it.

Even Williamson’s boss in the Fraternity of St Pius X has decided it expedient to distance himself, too, although if he has previously failed to condemn his subordinate’s claims, this might appear less than sincere.

Words are all very well, but actions will tell us more. What will happen to Williamson if he returns to the Church? Will he be allowed to continue as a bishop?

The Telegraph has already laicised him. Perhaps the Pope should do likewise.

It’s more the kind of thing one might expect from an enraged, ill-educated protester, keffiyah wrapped over his face, perhaps brandishing a placard which tells you that he is semi-literate and cannot be expected to read history so relies on others to tell him what to think about Israel and Jews.

This disappointing piece of nonsense fell from the lips of a Vatican Cardinal, though. Likening Gaza to a concentration camp is ignorant and anti-Semitic.

Germany was not defending itself from a rain of missiles aimed at its civilian population by Jews. The Israelis have not herded Palestinians into Gaza with the intention of wiping them out – on the contrary, it is Hamas who have made clear their genocidal intentions towards the Jews.

A spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry said the cardinal, whose remarks appeared in an interview Wednesday, adopted the kind of language that Hamas and other Islamic militant groups have used to demonize Israel and equate it with Nazi Germany

More thoughts on the subject here

Cardinal Martino was formerly Vatican envoy to the far from perfect and deeply anti-Israel UN so perhaps we should not be too surprised.