Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Holy See press office director, Joaquin Navarro-Valls,  has released the following statement regarding the killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin:

"The Holy See stands united with countries throughout the world in deploring this act of violence, unjustifiable in any lawful state."  

The Holy See's position and feelings were clearly expressed with the words the Holy Father gave before the Diplomatic Corps last Jan. 12, stressing to the leaders of these two nations:

 "The use of weapons and terrorism on one hand and retaliations, humiliating adversaries and distributing hateful propaganda on the other does not solve anything. It is only by respecting each other's legitimate aspirations, returning to the bargaining table and applying the concrete efforts of the international community that we begin to reach solution." 

Real and lasting peace cannot come about simply by using force. "It is above all the fruit of moral and legal action," the pope said.

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