Holy See urges Israel, Palestine
to alleviate suffering of people
 |
| Palestinian protestersclashing with Israeli forces near the border in southern Gaza strip (AFP) |
The Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission at the United
Nations in New York on April 29 addressed an open debate at the Security
Council on the Middle East situation and the Palestinian question.
By Robin Gomes
The Holy See is urging Israelis and Palestinians to
alleviate the suffering of the people and pursue a future of peace and
stability in the region.
“Too many innocent civilians, on both sides, have paid the
price of the indiscriminate use of violence and force,” lamented Monsignor
Tomasz Grysa, the First Counsellor of the Holy See’s Permanent Observer
Mission at the United Nations in New York on Monday.
Disunity
Speaking on behalf of the Holy See’s Permanent Observer,
Archbishop Bernadito Auza, Msgr. Grysa noted that in Gaza, a disastrous
humanitarian situation is feeding the despair among the Palestinian population,
which at times is manipulated by extremist groups who resort
to violence, while fear for Israeli security increases.
Underscoring the need for unity as essential for a
politically stable and economically viable Palestine, the Holy See official
commended the tireless efforts of neighbouring countries in forging talks with
the various Palestinian factions and facilitating dialogue among
them. These efforts, Msgr. Grysa pointed out are important towards respecting
the inalienable rights, achieving the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian
people and in attaining lasting peace and security for Israel.
Two-state solution
The increasingly fragmented Palestinian land,
Msgr. Grysa noted, is making the two-state solution more difficult to realize.
However, "difficulty does not mean impossibility", he pointed
out, adding that it depends on Israelis and Palestinians, regional actors and
the rest of the international community, to make every effort and use all their
political and diplomatic persuasion to prevent this difficulty from becoming an
impossibility.
Regarding a two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian
problem, he urged that the cycle of violence be broken and
that both parties avoid unilateral actions.
The Holy See commended countries that have increased
their donations to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency
for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which, while supporting
the refugee population, especially children, is also helping wider regional
development and security.
“Status quo” of Jerusalem
Msgr. Grysa also raised the issue of the identity of
Jerusalem and its status quo, saying, it affects the fragile populations who
live there and has potentially detrimental effects on peace and stability in
the region.
In this regard, he recalled the joint appeal that Pope
Francis and King Mohammed VI of Morocco signed in Rabat on March 30,
that calls for preserving the “Status quo” of the Holy City of Jerusalem “as
the common patrimony of humanity and especially the followers of the three
monotheistic religions, as a place of encounter and as a symbol of peaceful
coexistence, where mutual respect and dialogue can be cultivated.”
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