Extremists must be isolated to ease Israeli-Palestinian problem, says Italian cardinal

November 13, 2014

After a visit to the Holy Land, the president of the Italian bishops’ conference told Aid to the Church in Need that the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict lies in “creating an alliance of all moderates in the region in order to isolate the extremists.”

“If such a sincere and effective alliance of moderates were formed, then the extremists would be left isolated,” said Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco. He reported that he had seen the destruction caused by Israeli bombardments in Gaza and by Hamas rocket attacks in the Israeli city of Sderot, and the suffering of people on both sides of the conflict.

Cardinal Bagnasco encouraged Christians to “step up the pilgrimages” to the Holy Land, as one concrete way to support the people of the region. He said that Christianity must survive in the region. “Anything else would be a disaster for humanity, and not just for one religion,” he said. “It would mean the failure of civilization.”

 

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Further information:

• Middle East: ‘the extremists must be isolated’ (ACN)