| On Wednesday morning, 13 May 2009, the Holy Father responded to the
welcome offered by President Mahmoud Abbas, in the square before the
presidential palace in Bethlehem. The Pope assured the President that
the Holy See supports the right of the Palestinian people to their own
homeland. Mr President,
Dear Friends,
I greet all of you from my heart, and I warmly thank the President, Mr
Mahmoud Abbas, for his words of welcome. My pilgrimage to the lands of
the Bible would not be complete without a visit to Bethlehem, the City
of David and the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Nor could I come to the
Holy Land without accepting the kind invitation of President Abbas to
visit these Territories and to greet the Palestinian people. I know how
much you have suffered and continue to suffer as a result of the turmoil
that has afflicted this land for decades. My heart goes out to all the
families who have been left homeless. This afternoon I will pay a visit
to the Aida Refugee Camp, in order to express my solidarity with the
people who have lost so much. To those among you who mourn the loss of
family members and loved ones in the hostilities, particularly the
recent conflict in Gaza, I offer an assurance of deep compassion and
frequent remembrance in prayer. Indeed, I keep all of you in my daily
prayers, and I earnestly beg the Almighty for peace, a just and lasting
peace, in the Palestinian Territories and throughout the region.
Mr President, the Holy See supports the right of your people to a
sovereign Palestinian homeland in the land of your forefathers, secure
and at peace with its neighbors, within internationally recognized
borders. Even if at present that goal seems far from being realized, I
urge you and all your people to keep alive the flame of hope, hope that
a way can be found of meeting the legitimate aspirations of both
Israelis and Palestinians for peace and stability. In the words of the
late Pope John Paul II, there can be "no peace without justice, no
justice without forgiveness" (Message for the 2002 World Day of Peace).
I plead with all the parties to this long-standing conflict to put aside
whatever grievances and divisions still stand in the way of
reconciliation, and to reach out with generosity and compassion to all
alike, without discrimination. Just and peaceful coexistence among the
peoples of the Middle East can only be achieved through a spirit of
cooperation and mutual respect, in which the rights and dignity of all
are acknowledged and upheld. I ask all of you, I ask your leaders, to
make a renewed commitment to work towards these goals. In particular I
call on the international community to bring its influence to bear in
favor of a solution. Believe and trust that through honest and
persevering dialogue, with full respect for the demands of justice,
lasting peace really can be attained in these lands.
It is my earnest hope that the serious concerns involving security in
Israel and the Palestinian Territories will soon be allayed sufficiently
to allow greater freedom of movement, especially with regard to contact
between family members and access to the holy places. Palestinians, like
any other people, have a natural right to marry, to raise families, and
to have access to work, education and health care. I pray too that, with
the assistance of the international community, reconstruction work can
proceed swiftly wherever homes, schools or hospitals have been damaged
or destroyed, especially during the recent fighting in Gaza. This is
essential if the people of this land are to live in conditions conducive
to lasting peace and prosperity. A stable infrastructure will provide
your young people with better opportunities to acquire valuable skills
and to seek gainful employment, enabling them to play their part in
building up the life of your communities. I make this appeal to the many
young people throughout the Palestinian Territories today: do not allow
the loss of life and the destruction that you have witnessed to arouse
bitterness or resentment in your hearts. Have the courage to resist any
temptation you may feel to resort to acts of violence or terrorism.
Instead, let what you have experienced renew your determination to build
peace. Let it fill you with a deep desire to make a lasting contribution
to the future of Palestine, so that it can take its rightful place on
the world stage. Let it inspire in you sentiments of compassion for all
who suffer, zeal for reconciliation, and a firm belief in the
possibility of a brighter future.
Mr President, dear friends gathered here in Bethlehem, I invoke upon all
the Palestinian people the blessings and the protection of our heavenly
Father, and I pray fervently that the song which the angels sang here in
this place will be fulfilled: peace on earth, good will among men. Thank
you. And may God be with you.
Distributed by:
The Holy See Press Office
13 May 2009
|