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Pope Benedict XVI- Apostolic Journey to the Holy Land |
"I
Renew My Plea for a Profound Commitment to Cultivate Peace and
Non-Violence"
Address at Aida Refugee Camp
H.H. Benedict XVI
Bethlehem
May 13, 2009
Mr. President,
Dear Friends,
My visit to the Aida Refugee Camp this afternoon gives me a welcome
opportunity to express my solidarity with all the homeless
Palestinians who long to be able to return to their birthplace, or
to live permanently in a homeland of their own. Thank you, Mr.
President, for your kind greeting. And thank you also, Mrs. Abu Zayd,
and our other speakers. To all the officials of the United Nations
Relief and Works Agency who care for the refugees, I express the
appreciation felt by countless men and women all over the world for
the work that is done here and in other camps throughout the region.
I extend a particular greeting to the pupils and teachers in the
school. By your commitment to education you are expressing hope in
the future. To all the young people here, I say: renew your efforts
to prepare for the time when you will be responsible for the affairs
of the Palestinian people in years to come. Parents have a most
important role here, and to all the families present in this camp I
say: be sure to support your children in their studies and to
nurture their gifts, so that there will be no shortage of
well-qualified personnel to occupy leadership positions in the
Palestinian community in the future. I know that many of your
families are divided -- through imprisonment of family members, or
restrictions on freedom of movement -- and many of you have
experienced bereavement in the course of the hostilities. My heart
goes out to all who suffer in this way. Please be assured that all
Palestinian refugees across the world, especially those who lost
homes and loved ones during the recent conflict in Gaza, are
constantly remembered in my prayers.
I wish to acknowledge the good work carried out by many Church
agencies in caring for refugees here and in other parts of the
Palestinian Territories. The Pontifical Mission for Palestine,
founded some sixty years ago to coordinate Catholic humanitarian
assistance for refugees, continues its much-needed work alongside
other such organizations. In this camp, the presence of Franciscan
Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary calls to mind the
charismatic figure of Saint Francis, that great apostle of peace and
reconciliation. Indeed, I want to express my particular appreciation
for the enormous contribution made by different members of the
Franciscan family in caring for the people of these lands, making
themselves "instruments of peace", in the time-honored phrase
attributed to the Saint of Assisi.
Instruments of peace. How much the people of this camp, these
Territories, and this entire region long for peace! In these days,
that longing takes on a particular poignancy as you recall the
events of May 1948 and the years of conflict, as yet unresolved,
that followed from those events. You are now living in precarious
and difficult conditions, with limited opportunities for employment.
It is understandable that you often feel frustrated. Your legitimate
aspirations for permanent homes, for an independent Palestinian
State, remain unfulfilled. Instead you find yourselves trapped, as
so many in this region and throughout the world are trapped, in a
spiral of violence, of attack and counter-attack, retaliation, and
continual destruction. The whole world is longing for this spiral to
be broken, for peace to put an end to the constant fighting.
Towering over us, as we gather here this afternoon, is a stark
reminder of the stalemate that relations between Israelis and
Palestinians seem to have reached -- the wall. In a world where more
and more borders are being opened up -- to trade, to travel, to
movement of peoples, to cultural exchanges -- it is tragic to see
walls still being erected. How we long to see the fruits of the much
more difficult task of building peace! How earnestly we pray for an
end to the hostilities that have caused this wall to be built!
On both sides of the wall, great courage is needed if fear and
mistrust is to be overcome, if the urge to retaliate for loss or
injury is to be resisted. It takes magnanimity to seek
reconciliation after years of fighting. Yet history has shown that
peace can only come when the parties to a conflict are willing to
move beyond their grievances and work together towards common goals,
each taking seriously the concerns and fears of the other, striving
to build an atmosphere of trust. There has to be a willingness to
take bold and imaginative initiatives towards reconciliation: if
each insists on prior concessions from the other, the result can
only be stalemate.
Humanitarian aid, of the kind provided in this camp, has an
essential role to play, but the long-term solution to a conflict
such as this can only be political. No one expects the Palestinian
and Israeli peoples to arrive at it on their own. The support of the
international community is vital, and hence I make a renewed appeal
to all concerned to bring their influence to bear in favor of a just
and lasting solution, respecting the legitimate demands of all
parties and recognizing their right to live in peace and dignity, in
accordance with international law. Yet at the same time, diplomatic
efforts can only succeed if Palestinians and Israelis themselves are
willing to break free from the cycle of aggression. I am reminded of
those other beautiful words attributed to Saint Francis: "where
there is hatred, let me sow love, where there is injury, pardon ...
where there is darkness, light, where there is sadness, joy."
To all of you I renew my plea for a profound commitment to cultivate
peace and non-violence, following the example of Saint Francis and
other great peacemakers. Peace has to begin in the home, in the
family, in the heart. I continue to pray that all parties to the
conflict in these lands will have the courage and imagination to
pursue the challenging but indispensable path of reconciliation. May
peace flourish once more in these lands! May God bless his people
with peace!
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