Holy See calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza-Israel conflict
July 25, 2014
The United Nations Human Rights Council met on July 23 to discuss the human rights situation in Gaza.
Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Holy See’s permanent representative to UN offices based in Geneva, deplored the killing of civilians in the Gaza-Israel conflict and called for an immediate ceasefire.
“The perpetration of injustices and the violation of human rights, especially the right to life and to live in peace and security, sow fresh seeds of hatred and resentment,” he said. “The United Nations estimates that approximately 70% of Palestinians killed have been innocent civilians. This is just as intolerable as the rockets missiles directed indiscriminately toward civilian targets in Israel … Demonizing others, however, does not eliminate their rights.”
Quoting Pope Francis, Archbishop Tomasi said that “the time has come for everyone to find the courage to be generous and creative in the service of the common good, the courage to forge a peace which rests on the acknowledgment by all of the right of two states to exist and to live in peace and security within internationally recognized borders.”
Archbishop Tomasi added that “the legitimate aspiration to security, on one side, and to decent living conditions, on the other, with access to the normal means of existence like medicines, water and jobs, for example, reflects a fundamental human right, without which peace is very difficult to preserve.”
“The Delegation of the Holy See reiterates its view that violence never pays,” he continued. “To combat violence and its detrimental consequences we must avoid becoming accustomed to killing. At a time where brutality is common and human rights violations are ubiquitous, we must not become indifferent.”
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Further information:
- Statement by H.E. Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, Permanent Representative of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva (Holy See Press Office)
- 21st special session of the Human Rights Council on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem - 23 July 2014 (UN Human Rights Council)
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Posted by: Minnesota Mary -
Jul. 25, 2014 7:29 PM ET USA
Can you imagine what it must be like having your land and livelihood taken away from you and your family and being forced to live in the world's largest open air prison? You people need to take a trip to the Holy Land and see how the Palestinian people are treated and the terrible conditions that they are forced to live under. Read the book "Against Our Better Judgment" by Alison Weir and learn the history of what was done to the Palestinians and why. If it were you, you'd lob rockets too!
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Posted by: Defender -
Jul. 25, 2014 2:48 PM ET USA
The UN has all but said that Israel is wholly responsible for all the killings. I would suggest these people, and apparently some in the Vatican, to spend some time under fire. It isn't a pleasant experience. Can you imagine if Mexico or Canada started to lob rockets into the US and build tunnels for terrorists to conduct operations in the US and then didn't do anything about it? There's a reason why Jordan and Syria would not give any land up for the creation of "Palestine" - this is it.
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Posted by: Lucius49 -
Jul. 25, 2014 12:01 PM ET USA
The enemy here, a radicalized Hamas allied to a world-view that seeks to wipe out Christians as well as Jews, needs to be defeated just as past out of control enemies like the NAZIS and communists needed to be defeated. Know your enemy. Civilians are being killed as part of Hamas strategy putting them in harms way. Communists used civilians as pawns in North Korea in the 50's. A ceasefire helps Hamas and Islamic terrorism recover to continue their terrorism.
