Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 162 national Caritas bodies involved in human promotion and development, issued the following appeal with regard to the present situation in the Middle East calling for an immediate cease fire and stressing the urgent need for peace and humanitarian aid:
“As the violence escalates in Lebanon and in the Gaza strip, Caritas calls on all sides to end the carnage, hold an immediate cease fire and come to the negotiating table. Staff from Caritas in Gaza and Lebanon are risking their own lives to cater to the needs of the wounded, supply goods for civilians to survive and bring food for the children.
Indiscriminate bombings and hostage-taking are against all moral and humanitarian laws and principles.
Guided by the social teaching of the Catholic Church, and in line with International Humanitarian Law, we are calling today for an immediate cease-fire, an end to all violence, and the beginning of constructive negotiations geared towards long-term solutions.
International Humanitarian Law decrees that states and authorities must protect civilians caught up in conflict, allow free access by humanitarian agencies to provide assistance to those affected and ensure attacks are not aimed at civilian targets. Any state or authority which ignores these rules is in breach of the very conventions that they have signed up to and which help keep our world civilised.
Caritas believes that a just peace is possible in the Middle East, and urges the international community and political leaders to uphold international law and help the people of Israel, of Palestine and of Lebanon to step back from the brink of full-scale war.
Caritas Internationalis has urged the members of the Confederation with seats on the UN Security Council to contact their governments with a view to calling for a cease-fire and the beginning of negotiations”. (Vatican City, 14 July 2006)
(Agenzia Fides 17/7/2006 righe 28 parole 289)
