Pope Francis hails King’s support of Palestinians

Pope Francis' latest statements on the war in the Gaza Strip are a reaffirmation of the Holy See's stand that war is "always a defeat", calling for taking all steps needed to find a lasting and just solution to the Palestinian issue, the Catholic Center for Studies and Media said Saturday. The only alternative to that goal is a perpetuation of the cycle of violence and instability in the region, said the pontiff. He praised the efforts of His Majesty King Abdullah II in support of the Palestinians through sending humanitarian aid daily to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank by air and land by the Jordan Armed Forces - Arab Army, and diplomacy at international forums. His Majesty has repeatedly warned that the region will only enjoy peace, security, stability and prosperity through resolving the Palestinian issue and fulfilling the aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish an independent state on national Palestinian soil, the pope noted. The pope said at a press conference on the flight returning to Rome from Singapore Friday that the Jordanian position is firm and clear to all as Jordanian diplomacy is keen to highlight the suffering of the Palestinians under occupation, formulate a global stand condemning the violations and keep the Palestinian cause on the front burner. In response to a question about the tragic conditions in the Gaza Strip due to the war, which is going on for over 11 months, Pope Francis expressed regret for the lack of tangible action to end the war and achieve the long-awaited peace. Referring to Israel's bombing of schools that sheltered displaced people, he said "when you see the presumption that there are fighters there, and when you see that they bomb a school, this is bad. It is bad. It is bad", adding that he does not share the notion that this war is defensive, given the images of the bodies of child victims. Source: Jordan News Agency