Pope Francis prays for peace in the Holy Land: War is a failure of politics and humanity

This afternoon, June 7, Pope Francis participated in a moment of prayer in the Vatican Gardens, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Invocation for Peace in the Holy Land. In this framework, and referring to the current conflict between Israel and Palestine, the Pope expressed that “war is a failure of politics and humanity, a shameful surrender, a defeat in the face of the forces of evil.”

Ten years ago, the presidents of Israel and Palestine—Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas— They met at the Vaticanin an unprecedented meeting, together with Pope Francis, to pray for peace between both nations.

A few weeks before this meeting, during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2014, the Holy Father expressed to both leaders his “great desire” for them to meet “to carry out a significant and historic gesture of dialogue and peace.” That’s how it happened and, since then, he commented that he carries in his heart “a lot of gratitude to the Lord for that day.”

“Today, remembering that event is important, especially in light of what is unfortunately happening in Palestine and Israel,” Pope Francis said, lamenting the death of so many innocents since the beginning of the conflict.

In his anniversary speech, he delved into the consequences of war, pointing out that they not only affect the people who suffer it first-hand, but also future generations, due to the hatred and violence it unleashes. “Every war leaves the world worse than it found it,” the Pontiff stressed.

“For this reason, instead of having illusions that war can solve problems and lead to peace, we must be critical and vigilant regarding an ideology that is unfortunately dominant today, according to which Conflict, violence and ruptures are part of the normal functioning of a society”, he highlighted.

Likewise, the Pope assured that he prays every day for the end of the war in the region, despite the fact that it is a complicated task due to “partisan economic interests” or “international political balances that seek an apparent peace, fleeing from the real problems”.

In that sense, he called on all parties to work to build true peace: “let’s not stop dreaming of peace and building peaceful relationships!” he stressed. For the Pontiff, there is no distinction between the victims of war, but rather everyone suffers equally – both in Israel and Palestine -: Christians, Jews and Muslims.

“I think about how urgent it is that from the rubble of Gaza it is finally decided to stop the weapons and, for that reason, I ask that there be a ceasefire,” he said. And he stressed that the world must promote the coexistence of both States and ensure the protection of Jerusalem, the meeting city of the three religions, also protected by a special status guaranteed internationally.

Pope Francis was categorical in stating that true peace is not made “in agreements on paper” or at the “tables of human and political commitments,” but rather emerges from “transformed hearts” that have been reached by God’s love.

“There can be no peace if we do not first let God himself disarm our hearts, to make them hospitable, compassionate and merciful,” he noted.

Finally, the Pontiff asked the Lord – Head of Nations – that the parties in conflict “find the path of concord and unity” and that “all recognize each other as brothers.”

In addition, he prayed for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, Queen of Peace, and concluded his intervention by repeating the same prayer that he pronounced with the leaders of both nations 10 years ago.