WASHINGTON (July 18, 2006)—The chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops’ international policy committee said in a statement today that
provocative acts of violence by extreme factions of Hamas and Hezbollah,
along with disproportionate military responses from Israel, undermine
efforts to create a just two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict and endanger the vulnerable democracy in Lebanon.
“Once again the land that is holy to Jewish, Christian and Muslim
believers is wracked by violence and fear,” said Bishops Thomas G. Wenski
of Orlando, (FL) “The tragic and terrifying cycle of provocation and
response, of occupation and resistance, has erupted in another spasm of
deadly violence. This cycle must be broken, especially before it continues
to expand into a broader and deadlier conflict. The violence must stop and
a ceasefire must be secured.”
“The conflicts in the Holy Land and Lebanon are distinct, but they bear
some fearful similarities. In both cases there were violent and
provocative cross-border attacks on Israeli military personnel. The
extreme armed factions of Hamas and Hezbollah, and their supporters,
including Syria and Iran, bear grave responsibilities. It seems clear that
these acts were intended to damage prospects for negotiation and to
provoke strong responses that further weaken the chances for dialogue,
agreement and progress.”
While the U.S. bishops recognize the Palestinians’ “harsh realities of
occupation and the yearning for a viable state of their own,” Bishop
Wenski said, he stressed that attacks against innocent civilians “violate
the principle of civilian immunity and undermine the possibility of a
negotiated resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As strong
friends of the people of Israel, we share their frustration and anger at
the provocative attacks. It is long past time for all Palestinian leaders,
including Hamas, to reject violence and terror and to act in ways that
will lead to the establishment of a viable state for the Palestinian
people living side-by-side in peace with a secure Israel.” He also called
for Hezbollah to “renounce violence, recognize Israel and respect its
security.”
Israel has a right to defend itself, Bishops Wenski said, but support
cannot be given to “sweeping counterattacks on civilian areas, civilian
infrastructure, blockades and other acts of war in Gaza and Lebanon.
Punishment of an entire population for the indefensible acts of extreme
armed factions is wrong and causes unjustified harm to noncombatants. Such
actions are also counterproductive because they deepen hostilities and
widen the circle of violence. Israel must act with restraint. Otherwise we
fear that Israel could isolate itself, undermine its long-term security
interests and play into the hands of extremists who seek a wider
confrontation and an unending battle with Israel.”
Bishop Wenski also said a secure and democratic Lebanon is in the best
interest of everyone in the region.
“As steadfast friends of the Lebanese people, we believe that Lebanon, as
the late Pope John Paul II said, should be ‘a model’ for people of
different faiths living together in peace. The current conflict puts at
risk the progress that has been made to free Lebanon from outside
domination and from being used as a pawn in a larger struggle. Our
Conference is deeply disturbed by the provocative acts of Hezbollah
against Israel that precipitated the current crisis and provoked the
disproportionate Israeli military responses. Both the initial act and the
resulting reactions endanger the Lebanese people and their vulnerable
democracy.”
Bishop Wenski further urged for more participation from the United States
to help end the conflicts.
“Our Conference calls upon the United States to exert greater leadership
with all parties to the conflicts and to work more intensively and
multilaterally to end the provocations and violence, to secure a
ceasefire, to restrain Israel, to move toward negotiations between
Israelis and Palestinians to bring about security for Israel and a viable
state for the Palestinians, and to ensure the independence of Lebanon.”
The complete statement from Bishop Wenski follows.
Break the Cycle of Violence in the Holy Land
A Statement of Bishop Thomas G. Wenski
Bishop of Orlando
Chairman, USCCB Committee on International Policy
Once again the land that is holy to Jewish, Christian and Muslim believers
is wracked by violence and fear. The tragic and terrifying cycle of
provocation and response, of occupation and resistance, has erupted in
another spasm of deadly violence. The cycle must be broken, especially
before it continues to expand into a broader and deadlier conflict. The
violence must stop and a ceasefire must be secured.
The conflicts in the Holy Land and Lebanon are distinct, but they bear
some fearful similarities. In both cases there were violent and
provocative cross-border attacks on Israeli military personnel. The
extreme armed factions of Hamas and Hezbollah, and their supporters,
including Syria and Iran, bear grave responsibilities. It seems clear that
these acts were intended to damage prospects for negotiation and to
provoke strong responses that further weaken the chances for dialogue,
agreement and progress. These attacks provoked Israeli military responses
that are understandable in terms of the right to defense, but are
disproportionate and indiscriminate in some instances.
As committed friends of the Palestinian people, we understand the harsh
realities of occupation and the yearning for a viable state of their own,
but we cannot support rocket barrages and suicide bombings against
innocent Israeli civilians and cross-border attacks and abductions. Such
actions violate the principle of civilian immunity and undermine the
possibility of a negotiated resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict.
As strong friends of the people of Israel, we share their frustration and
anger at the provocative attacks. It is long past time for all Palestinian
leaders, including Hamas, to reject violence and terror and to act in ways
that will lead to the establishment of a viable state for the Palestinian
people living side-by-side in peace with a secure Israel. It is also long
past time for all state and non-state actors in the region, including
Hezbollah, to renounce violence, recognize Israel and respect its
security.
Israel has a right to defend itself, but we cannot support its sweeping
counterattacks on civilian areas, civilian infrastructure, blockades and
other acts of war in Gaza and Lebanon. Punishment of an entire population
for the indefensible acts of extreme armed factions is wrong and causes
unjustified harm to noncombatants. Such actions are also counterproductive
because they deepen hostilities and widen the circle of violence. Israel
must act with restraint. Otherwise we fear that Israel could isolate
itself, undermine its long-term security interests and play into the hands
of extremists who seek a wider confrontation and an unending battle with
Israel.
As steadfast friends of the Lebanese people, we believe that Lebanon, as
the late Pope John Paul II said, should be “a model” for people of
different faiths living together in peace. The current conflict puts at
risk the progress that has been made to free Lebanon from outside
domination and from being used as a pawn in a larger struggle. Our
Conference is deeply disturbed by the provocative acts of Hezbollah
against Israel that precipitated the current crisis and provoked the
disproportionate Israeli military responses. Both the initial act and the
resulting reactions endanger the Lebanese people and their vulnerable
democracy. As our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, recently said: “Neither
terrorist acts nor reprisals, especially when they entail tragic
consequences for the civilian population, can be justified.”
Our Conference calls upon the United States to exert greater leadership
with all parties to the conflicts and to work more intensively and
multilaterally to end the provocations and violence, to secure a
ceasefire, to restrain Israel, to move toward negotiations between
Israelis and Palestinians to bring about security for Israel and a viable
state for the Palestinians, and to ensure the independence of Lebanon.
The recurrent cycles of deadly violence endanger the stability of Lebanon
and undermine those brave people on both sides who seek a just two-state
solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The sadly recurring and
predictable cycles of violent provocation by extremist elements and some
disproportionate responses not only take human lives, but they damage the
hopes of Israelis for security, of Palestinians for a viable and free
state, and of Lebanese for a future of peace, true independence and
prosperity.
Our Conference appeals to all leaders in the region and to the leaders of
our nation to make it clear that violence, from whatever side, for
whatever purpose, cannot bring a lasting or just peace in the Land we call
Holy. We join our prayers with those of our Holy Father who said about the
current crisis: “Let us pray to Mary, Queen of Peace, to implore from God
the fundamental gift of concord, bringing political leaders back to the
path of reason, and opening new possibilities of dialogue and agreement.”