Text of Pope Benedict's speech during visit to Aida refugee camp, Palestinian Territories
(May 13, 2009) Mr President, Dear Friends, My visit to the Aida Refugee Camp
this afternoon gives me a welcome opportunity to express my solidarity with all the
homeless Palestinians who long to be able to return to their birthplace, or to live
permanently in a homeland of their own. Thank you, Mr President, for your kind greeting.
And thank you also, Mrs Abu Zayd, and our other speakers. To all the officials of
the United Nations Relief and Works Agency who care for the refugees, I express the
appreciation felt by countless men and women all over the world for the work that
is done here and in other camps throughout the region. I extend a particular greeting
to the pupils and teachers in the school. By your commitment to education you are
expressing hope in the future. To all the young people here, I say: renew your efforts
to prepare for the time when you will be responsible for the affairs of the Palestinian
people in years to come. Parents have a most important role here, and to all the families
present in this camp I say: be sure to support your children in their studies and
to nurture their gifts, so that there will be no shortage of well-qualified personnel
to occupy leadership positions in the Palestinian community in the future. I know
that many of your families are divided – through imprisonment of family members, or
restrictions on freedom of movement – and many of you have experienced bereavement
in the course of the hostilities. My heart goes out to all who suffer in this way.
Please be assured that all Palestinian refugees across the world, especially those
who lost homes and loved ones during the recent conflict in Gaza, are constantly remembered
in my prayers. I wish to acknowledge the good work carried out by many Church
agencies in caring for refugees here and in other parts of the Palestinian Territories.
The Pontifical Mission for Palestine, founded some sixty years ago to coordinate Catholic
humanitarian assistance for refugees, continues its much-needed work alongside other
such organizations. In this camp, the presence of Franciscan Missionary Sisters of
the Immaculate Heart of Mary calls to mind the charismatic figure of Saint Francis,
that great apostle of peace and reconciliation. Indeed, I want to express my particular
appreciation for the enormous contribution made by different members of the Franciscan
family in caring for the people of these lands, making themselves “instruments of
peace”, in the time-honored phrase attributed to the Saint of Assisi. Instruments
of peace. How much the people of this camp, these Territories, and this entire region
long for peace! In these days, that longing takes on a particular poignancy as you
recall the events of May 1948 and the years of conflict, as yet unresolved, that followed
from those events. You are now living in precarious and difficult conditions, with
limited opportunities for employment. It is understandable that you often feel frustrated.
Your legitimate aspirations for permanent homes, for an independent Palestinian State,
remain unfulfilled. Instead you find yourselves trapped, as so many in this region
and throughout the world are trapped, in a spiral of violence, of attack and counter-attack,
retaliation, and continual destruction. The whole world is longing for this spiral
to be broken, for peace to put an end to the constant fighting. Towering over
us, as we gather here this afternoon, is a stark reminder of the stalemate that relations
between Israelis and Palestinians seem to have reached – the wall. In a world where
more and more borders are being opened up – to trade, to travel, to movement of peoples,
to cultural exchanges – it is tragic to see walls still being erected. How we long
to see the fruits of the much more difficult task of building peace! How earnestly
we pray for an end to the hostilities that have caused this wall to be built! On
both sides of the wall, great courage is needed if fear and mistrust is to be overcome,
if the urge to retaliate for loss or injury is to be resisted. It takes magnanimity
to seek reconciliation after years of fighting. Yet history has shown that peace can
only come when the parties to a conflict are willing to move beyond their grievances
and work together towards common goals, each taking seriously the concerns and fears
of the other, striving to build an atmosphere of trust. There has to be a willingness
to take bold and imaginative initiatives towards reconciliation: if each insists on
prior concessions from the other, the result can only be stalemate. Humanitarian
aid, of the kind provided in this camp, has an essential role to play, but the long-term
solution to a conflict such as this can only be political. No one expects the Palestinian
and Israeli peoples to arrive at it on their own. The support of the international
community is vital, and hence I make a renewed appeal to all concerned to bring their
influence to bear in favor of a just and lasting solution, respecting the legitimate
demands of all parties and recognizing their right to live in peace and dignity, in
accordance with international law. Yet at the same time, diplomatic efforts can only
succeed if Palestinians and Israelis themselves are willing to break free from the
cycle of aggression. I am reminded of those other beautiful words attributed to Saint
Francis: “where there is hatred, let me sow love, where there is injury, pardon …
where there is darkness, light, where there is sadness, joy.” To all of you I
renew my plea for a profound commitment to cultivate peace and non-violence, following
the example of Saint Francis and other great peacemakers. Peace has to begin in the
home, in the family, in the heart. I continue to pray that all parties to the conflict
in these lands will have the courage and imagination to pursue the challenging but
indispensable path of reconciliation. May peace flourish once more in these lands!
May God bless his people with peace!