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On Wednesday 13 May 2009, after making a private visit to the Grotto
of the Nativity, the Holy Father visited the Caritas Children's Hospital
and the Aida Refugee Camp. At the Camp he gave the following address.
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!
[Original text: English] |