“Acting with justice, solidarity and farsightedness”. This is the attitude recommended by the Pope to the “civilian authorities involved on several levels”, towards the “exodus” of “those people who leave their land” because of “serious violence, combined with the plagues of poverty and hunger, as well as natural catastrophes and environmental decay”.
In his speech to the Diplomatic Corps, Benedict XVI mentioned, among migrant categories, the Christians of the Middle East, who, “affected in many ways, even in the practice of their religious freedom, leave the land of their fathers”.
“It is to support them that I convened the Special Assembly of the Episcopal Synod on the Middle East”, announced Benedict XVI, who, in the last part of his speech, urged once again Israelis and Palestinians “to dialogue and respect each other’s rights”, asking that “the right of the State of Israel to exist and enjoy peace and security within internationally-recognised borders be universally acknowledged. And that the right of the Palestinian population to a sovereign and independent nation, to live with dignity and be able to move freely be likewise acknowledged”.
Finally, the Pope urged “the support of everyone, so that the identity and sacred character of Jerusalem be protected”.