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Pope Francis

RAMALLAH. — Pope Francis came face to face with the daily reality of Palestinians yesterday, even touching the controversial separation wall, after calling for an end to the “increasingly unacceptable” Israeli-Palestinian conflict.The Pope has said his three-day visit to the Middle East, which began in Jordan on Saturday, has “purely religious” motives, but he grabbed headlines with a spontaneous stop at the West Bank separation wall, where he rested his forehead against the barrier in prayer.

It was a show of support that Palestinians had been hoping for, weeks after the collapse of US-brokered peace talks with the Israelis.
In an unprecedented move, Pope Francis invited Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas and Israeli President Shimon Peres to the Vatican for a “heartfelt prayer” for peace.

“Building peace is difficult, but living without peace is a constant torment,” he said.

Neither president’s office would explicitly confirm acceptance of the invitation, though Peres’ spokesman said he welcomed it.

“President Peres, welcomes has always supported, and will continue to support, any attempts to progress the cause of peace,” he said.
Peres (90) steps down at the end of next month.

The Pope’s arrival in the West Bank early yesterday marked the start of the second stage of his brief tour aimed at easing an ancient rift with Orthodox Christians and speaking out in favour of regional peace.

“The time has come to put an end to this situation which has become increasingly unacceptable,” the 77-year-old pontiff said.

Flanked by Abbas at his official welcoming ceremony to the Palestinian territories, Francis added: “The time has come for everyone to find the courage . . . to forge a peace which rests on the acknowledgement by all of the right of two states to exist and to live in peace and security within internationally recognised borders.”

Abbas raised the thorny subject of Jerusalem — claimed both by Israel and the Palestinians as their capital — accusing Israel of “systematically acting to change its identity and character, and strangling the Palestinians, both Christians and Muslims, with the aim of pushing them out.”

Shortly afterwards, the “humble Pope”, famed for his defence of the oppressed, halted his open jeep as his convoy passed near the controversial separation wall in Bethlehem erected by the Israelis. The Vatican admitted the stop was a surprise.

Dressed in his white cassock and flanked by anxious Palestinian security guards, he walked over to the eight-metre high concrete barrier, which is topped by a guard tower.

He rested his hand and forehead on the graffiti-daubed wall, pausing for several moments in front of a scrawled appeal for his help: “Pope we need someone to speak about justice.”

The stop came as the Pope was on his way to celebrate mass with 10 000 pilgrims in a packed and colourful Manger Square, next to the site Christians revere as the birthplace of Jesus.

The Pope then shared his lunch with several Palestinian families, before meeting with refugee children at the entrance to Dheishe refugee camp.

Israel began building a vast barrier through the West Bank in 2002 at the height of the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, saying its construction was crucial for security.

But the Palestinians see the barrier, two-thirds of which is located inside the West Bank, as a land grab aimed at stealing part of their future state.

Pope Francis was set to meet Peres in Tel Aviv before continuing his visit with a trip to Jerusalem later yesterday. — AFP.