Pope Urges Peace in Holy Land, Syria: JERUSALEM – In the second day of the historical visit to the Middle East, Pope Francis made an emotional plea for peace while visiting occupied Bethlehem on Sunday, May 25, urging an end for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “The time has come to put an end to this situation which has become increasingly unacceptable,” Pope Francis addressed the crowd in Bethlehems Church of the Nativity, BBC reported. Addressing more than 8,000 Christians, the pope warned of the “tragic consequences of the protracted conflict”, underscoring the need “to intensify efforts and initiatives” to create foster peace between the Palestine and Israel. During the three-day tour that aims to improve ties with Orthodox Christians, Francis met the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. Meanwhile, Francis invited both Abbas and the Israeli President to visit the Vatican and pray for peace after failing to reach agreement during the US-brokered peace talks. “In this, the birthplace of the Prince of Peace, I wish to invite you, President Mahmoud Abbas, together with President Shimon Peres, to join me in heartfelt prayer to God for the gift of peace,” the Pope said at a Mass in Bethlehem, Reuters reported. “I offer my home in the Vatican as a place for this encounter of prayer.” Popes visit to the holy land has revived Christian Palestinians hopes of easing restrictions and bringing peace. “He should bring a message for peace: peace to the whole world and especially for the Holy Land. We are living in a very bad situation,” says Rania Bandak, manager of Bethlehems Peace Centre. “We are not able to move freely to all parts of Palestine. Bethlehem is surrounded by Jewish settlements and the high wall that cuts us off from Jerusalem.” “The Popes message should be that he wants us to stay in this land,” adds souvenir shop owner, Rony Tabash. “We are the living stones of the Church.” Thousands of Christian pilgrims flock to Bethlehem annually to visit the historical Nativity Church, built on the site where Jesus is said to have been born in a stable. But the Israeli restrictions are turning the journey of many tourists into the city into a nightmare. Though it lies only three miles from Al-Quds (Occupied East Jerusalem), it takes hours from tourists to reach Bethlehem, thanks to the barrier Israel is building in the occupied West Bank. Syria Appeal During his first stop in Jordan, the Pope was welcomed by thousands who gathered the International Stadium in Amman after meeting with Jordans King Abdullah II at al-Husseini Royal Palace. Celebrating Mass, the Pope said: “The mission of the Holy Spirit is to beget harmony ... and to create peace in different situations and between different people.” “Let us ask the Spirit to prepare our hearts to encounter our brothers and sisters so that we may overcome our differences rooted in political thinking, language, culture and religion.” The pope also made a peace appeal for Syria, calling for “urgent steps” to end the ongoing civil war. “This great goal urgently requires that a peaceful solution be found to the crisis in Syria, as well as a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” he said. Popes visit to visit to the holy land, from May 24-26, has been facing huge protests by ultra-orthodox Jews, shedding light on negative consequences of the increasing anti-Muslim and Christian hate crimes in the holy city. Ahead of the papal visit, Jews have escalated their hate crimes against Palestinian Muslims and Christians. In 2009, former Pope Benedict XVI made a several-day visit to the holy lands. His tour included visits to el-Bouraq Wall and Bethlehem. He also visited the Dome of the Rock Mosque inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the third-holiest shrine in Islam, on May 12, becoming the first Vatican Pope to do so. Al-Quds is home to Al-Haram Al-Sharif, which includes Islams third holiest shrine Al-Aqsa Mosque, and represents the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Israel captured and occupied Al-Quds in the six-day 1967 Middle East war, then annexed it in a move not recognized by the world community or UN resolutions. The city is home to Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islams third holiest shrine, and represents the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Posted on: Mon, 26 May 2014 06:50:08 +0000
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