Karol Darmoros
Growing Tension
Card. Pizzaballa stated that the West Bank is today a “lawless land.” As he pointed out, tension between settlers and the Palestinian population is constantly rising, and what is happening remains “without any brakes from the point of view of security and legality.”
“The fact that there is a situation of continuous aggression by settlers is an indisputable fact,” he said.
The Patriarch appealed to Western countries for greater involvement. “The West must help raise its sights a little, create prospects, and also help calm this continuous spiral through an ever-greater diplomatic effort,” he said.
He added that diplomacy, despite “all its weakness,” remains “the only way to try to resolve the conflict while avoiding the use of weapons, violence, and military force.”
Gaza and Two States
Referring to the Gaza Strip, Card. Pizzaballa emphasized that the situation has “greatly deteriorated” and from a human point of view remains “very devastated.” However, he noted that it is currently more stable in some respects, and many talks are underway at the political level.
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem reiterated his support for a two-state solution, which is also pointed out by Leo XIV. “This is the only way to recognize the right of Israelis and Palestinians to have a home in their own land,” he said.
He also added that the Pope “sooner or later will come to the Holy Land.” As he noted, however, conditions must first be prepared so that such a visit “can truly bear fruit.”
Do Not Dehumanize the Other
In a conversation with young people, Card. Pizzaballa warned against the logic of war, which leads to the dehumanization of the adversary. “War takes away the most beautiful years of young people’s lives, if it does not take their lives altogether. This is true in the case of Ukraine, but also of the Middle East,” he said, answering a question from a young Ukrainian.
The Patriarch emphasized that hope should not be equated with optimism or the expectation of a quick political solution. “Hope is not the expectation of something to come from the outside; it is born within the heart,” he said.
As Card. Pizzaballa added, it is also born from the encounter of people – Israelis and Palestinians, Jews, Muslims, and Christians – who choose to help, support others, and “refuse to dehumanize the other.”
