Catholic leaders in Holy Land welcome ceasefire, urge for roots of the conflict to be addressed

By CatholicVote | Created at 2025-01-17 20:56:05 | Updated at 2025-01-18 00:53:05 3 hours ago
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CV NEWS FEED // The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land issued a Jan. 16 statement welcoming this week’s Gaza ceasefire agreement but emphasized that the conflict’s origin must be addressed in order to reach enduring peace.

The Catholic Ordinaries stated that they hope it “will mark an important end to the violence that has caused immeasurable suffering. It is a necessary step to halt the destruction and meet the urgent humanitarian needs of countless families affected by the conflict.”

“However, we are aware that the end of the war does not mean the end of the conflict,” they continued.

“Genuine and lasting peace can only be achieved through a just solution that addresses the origin of this long-standing struggle,” the Catholic clergy explained. “This requires a long process, a willingness to acknowledge each other’s suffering and a focused education in trust that leads to overcoming fear of the other and the justification of violence as a political tool.”

The Assembly is comprised of the 27 bishops, eparchs, and exarchs of the Catholic Church serving in the Holy Land.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and chair of the Assembly, told Vatican Media’s Roberto Paglialonga the ceasefire “is only the first step.” 

He said it is “the necessary turning point we needed,” but reiterated the Catholic Ordinaries’ message that the conflict has not yet ended.

Cardinal Pizzaballa also said of the ceasefire that “the agreement was more or less the same discussion that was had months ago,” and noted the reasons for the delay in finalization are complex.

Now that the ceasefire has finally been reached, the Cardinal explained that “[i]n every context, people are happy because this war has worn us down, exhausted us, and wounded everyone’s lives.”

The Catholic Ordinaries expressed hope in the Jan. 16 statement that the ceasefire would enable communities across the region to experience hope, dialogue, and reconciliation. 

“At the beginning of the Jubilee Year dedicated to hope that does not disappoint, we read in this event a sign that reminds us of God’s faithfulness,” they said. 

They added that political leaders and the international community should now work to create a strong political vision.

“A future built on dignity, security and freedom for all peoples is a prerequisite for true and lasting peace,” they said. “We urge all parties to implement the immediate steps and negotiate the future steps of the agreement in good faith.”

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