Pope prays for peace in ‘destroyed’ Lebanon
Benedict calls for end to fighting among Israelis, Lebanese and Palestinians
Reuters


Updated: 7:22 a.m. PT July 23, 2006
LES COMBES, Italy - Pope Benedict led an international day of prayers for peace in the Middle East on Sunday and called for an immediate cease-fire and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Lebanon which has been “destroyed” by war.

As violence continued between Israel and Hezbollah, the Pope said the Lebanese had a right to territorial “integrity and sovereignty” and Israelis had the right to live in peace.

“I feel particularly close to the defenseless civilian populations, unjustly hit by a conflict of which they are the victims,” the Pope said in his weekly blessing to a large outdoor crowd at his holiday retreat in the Italian Alps.

The innocent victims, he said were: “both those in Galilee (northern Israel) forced to live in shelters and the huge multitudes of Lebanese who, once again, are seeing their country destroyed and have had to abandon everything to try and flee elsewhere.”

The crowd applauded after the Pope listed the rights of the different peoples in the region.

“I take this opportunity to reaffirm the right of the Lebanese to the integrity and sovereignty of their territory, the right of Israelis to live in peace in their state and the right of Palestinians to a free and sovereign land,” he said.

Ahead of an emergency meeting of foreign ministers in Rome on Wednesday, the Pontiff called on the international community “to look for ways to start negotiations” between the warring parties.

Israel’s 12-day-old onslaught against Hezbollah in Lebanon has claimed 359 lives, mostly civilians, and forced half a million people to flee their homes.

More than 1,000 Hezbollah rockets have killed 17 Israeli civilians, prompting between a third to a half of all residents in northern Israel to escape the bombardment, officials said.

The Pope has already backed the idea of creating aid “corridors” requested by relief agencies to be able to access civilians hit by the war.

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Let us all pray for peace in the Middle East today and everyday.

All of Israel was praying while missiles were being fired upon her. God was either napping or ambivalent.

an old saying I just made up: Praying while you are being attacked is nice, but don't put down your weapon while praying as your enemy's god may be listening more closely than yours.

I don't pray. I survive.

No, prayers alone won't suffice.  There's a saying, "pray and move your feet."  Those of us who desire peace need to be more active on behalf of peace in the world. 

The actions by those who perpetrate violence in the Middle East and elsewhere need to be condemned in the strongest way. 

I have been praying for peace in the Middle East since I was in high school.  That's over 30 years ago.  That's how long I remember this conflict taking place.  Won't they EVER find a peaceful solution?

I am sympatico with everything you've written here.

they will find peace one day or they will kill one another until one flees the area.

Israel isn't going anywhere anytime soon. The Palestinians will always be there as will the Jews.

There are forces at work there who have an interest in seeing this continue. Can you imagine what would happen if all te mideast woke up without Israel to hate? They might demand their leaders look out for the population's interests instead of their very own.

I blame the United States for allowing this continue by arming Israel and others in the Middle East.  It's like breeding dogs and putting them into the ring for a dog fight.