Jerusalem (AsiaNews) – With a heartfelt plea for an end to 60 years of conflict and the suffering it has caused to Israelis and Palestinians, giving birth to two States, Benedict XVI ended his pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  This appeal for peace, in the morning, found its most profound expression in his visit to the Holy Sepulchre, where he spoke of the “hope that does not disappoint” offered by Christ’s empty tomb.  “The Gospel – he said - reassures us that God can make all things new, that history need not be repeated, that memories can be healed, that the bitter fruits of recrimination and hostility can be overcome, and that a future of justice, peace, prosperity and cooperation can arise for every man and woman, for the whole human family, and in a special way for the people who dwell in this land so dear to the heart of the Saviour.”.

 The Pope’s voyage had many objectives, not least the aim of carrying on dialogue with other Christians confessions.  To this end his visit to the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate, which lies next to the Holy Sepulchre and to the ancient Armenian patriarchal church of Saint James.

 In both meetings, Benedict XVI underlined that importance the Catholic Church attributes to dialogue and the progress that has been made “This dialogue, - he underline din his visit to the Armenians - sustained by prayer, has made progress in overcoming the burden of past misunderstandings, and offers much promise for the future”. “Standing in this hallowed place, - he had said shortly before in the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate -  alongside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which marks the site where our crucified Lord rose from the dead for all humanity, and near the cenacle, where on the day of Pentecost “they were all together in one place” (Acts 2:1), who could not feel impelled to bring the fullness of goodwill, sound scholarship and spiritual desire to our ecumenical endeavours?”

 “It is imperative therefore – he added - that Christian leaders and their communities bear vibrant testimony to what our faith proclaims: the eternal Word, who entered space and time in this land, Jesus of Nazareth, who walked these streets, through his words and actions calls people of every age to his life of truth and love”.

And the appeal that the Pope made to President  Shimon Peres seems motivated out of truth and affection, when he said as he took his leave: “I wish to put on record that I came to visit this country as a friend of the Israelis, just as I am a friend of the Palestinian people.  Friends enjoy spending time in one another’s company, and they find it deeply distressing to see one another suffer.  No friend of the Israelis and the Palestinians can fail to be saddened by the continuing tension between your two peoples.  No friend can fail to weep at the suffering and loss of life that both peoples have endured over the last six decades.  Allow me to make this appeal to all the people of these lands:  No more bloodshed!  No more fighting!  No more terrorism!  No more war!  Instead let us break the vicious circle of violence.  Let there be lasting peace based on justice, let there be genuine reconciliation and healing.  Let it be universally recognized that the State of Israel has the right to exist, and to enjoy peace and security within internationally agreed borders.  Let it be likewise acknowledged that the Palestinian people have a right to a sovereign independent homeland, to live with dignity and to travel freely.  Let the two-state solution become a reality, not remain a dream.  And let peace spread outwards from these lands, let them serve as a “light to the nations” (Is 42:6), bringing hope to the many other regions that are affected by conflict”.

His last thoughts are for the sad presence of the Israeli security barrier: "One of the saddest sights for me during my visit to these lands was the wall. As I passed alongside it, I prayed for a future in which the peoples of the Holy Land can live together in peace and harmony without the need for such instruments of security and separation, but rather respecting and trusting one another, and renouncing all forms of violence and aggression. Mr President, I know how hard it will be to achieve that goal. I know how difficult is your task, and that of the Palestinian Authority. But I assure you that my prayers and the prayers of Catholics across the world are with you as you continue your efforts to build a just and lasting peace in this region". (FP)