Pope Benedict calls for a ceasefire. He pleads, "In the name of God, I address to all those responsible for this spiral of violence that all sides immediately lay down their arms," "To political leaders and international institutions, I ask that no effort be spared in order to obtain the necessary cessation of hostilities," the pope said, "and thus to build, through dialogue, a lasting and stable coexistence of all the people of the Middle East."
Violence not the answer to create lasting Mideast peace, pope says after deadly attack
7/31/2006
Catholic Online
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (Catholic Online) - Violence is not the answer to establish justice, to build a new order and to create a lasting peace, Pope Benedict XVI said in appealing for an immediate cease-fire in the Middle East, hours after the deadliest attack in almost three weeks of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas killed more than 50 in a southern Lebanon village.
"In the name of God, I address to all those responsible for this spiral of violence that all sides immediately lay down their arms," the pope told pilgrims and tourists who gathered for the recitation of the midday Angelus at his summer residence here, on the southern outskirts of Rome. Pausing slightly, he repeated the word "immediately."
"To political leaders and international institutions, I ask that no effort be spared in order to obtain the necessary cessation of hostilities," the pope said, "and thus to build, through dialogue, a lasting and stable coexistence of all the people of the Middle East."
Israel's north and most of Lebanon enjoyed their quietest day in 20 days of conflict July 31 a day after Israel suspended air strikes for 48 hours. Both sides vowed to recommence when the break ends.
The July 30 bombing by an Israeli air strike in the Lebanese town of Qana killed at least 54 people, including 37 children, according to news reports.
The pope noted that his thoughts focused on the "ever more grave and more tragic" situation in the Middle East.
Pope Benedict pointed to the `hundreds of dead, many injured, a vast mass of homeless and displaced people, cities and infrastructures destroyed, while hatred and thirst for revenge seem to be growing in the hearts of many."
"These facts clearly demonstrate that it is not possible to re-establish justice, create a new order and build real peace when there is recourse to... violence."
He said that the events of the last three weeks show "the church's voice is at once prophetic and realistic when, in the face of war and conflicts of all kinds."
"This," he added, "is the path that humanity today must also follow in order to achieve the desired good of real peace."
The pontiff urged that shipments of humanitarian aid be intensified, and, as he did when concluded a 18-day vacation in the Italian Alps July 28, asked the faithful to offer prayers for peace.
"I ask men and women of good will to continue and to intensify the sending of humanitarian aid to those needy and much tried peoples," the pope said. "But above all, may faithful prayers to the good and merciful God continue to be raised from all hearts, that he may concede his peace to that region and to the world entire."
He entrusted the appeal for peace "to the intercession of Mary, mother of the prince of peace and queen of peace, who is so venerated in the countries of the Middle East."
Cardinal Nasrallah P. Sfeir, the Maronite patriarch, condemned the Israeli missile strike on Qana during a July 30 Mass in Dimane in northern Lebanon.
"This morning the bad news reached me about the murder by Israel of 50 defenseless civilians in the village of Qana, a village that has already tasted the bitterness of death and hatred in the not distant past, again at the hand of Israeli forces," Cardinal Sfeir said, according to an AsiaNews report.
"Once again I make my appeal, launched on Friday together with all the Maronite bishops, for an immediate ceasefire. Lebanon is no longer able to endure, our people is in agony while the world looks on. The crime of Qana must be condemned by all."
The patriarch also reiterated his request to "open humanitarian corridors and to respect the life of each and every person, which is a gift from God."
A total of 505 Lebanese and 51 Israelis, including 33 soldiers, have been killed since fighting in Lebanon began July 12 when Hezbollah fighters seized two Israeli soldiers.
Raymond Arroyo of EWTN in his show The World Over, interviewed Bishop Wenski who is the Director for International Affairs for the Catholic Church who said that Pope Benedict called for ceasefire and that he said true lasting peace is needed and could be done by solving the root of the problem-- Israel's indefinite borders. Political solution and not military solution should tackle this once and for all define Israel's borders which should be respected by everybody. Bishop Wenski also called Israel's action disproportionate and against the Old testament's teaching "An eye for an eye". He also said although he respects Israel's right to defend itself it should be done in a moral and just way.