The policy of the Catholic Church can be described as at once pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian, affirming the essential rights and needs of both sides. We have prayed that peace and justice can come to the Holy Land, and I truly cannot speak to the American Jewish Committee without empathizing with the terrible loss of innocent life and the terrible insecurity which faces the population of the state of Israel because of terrorism.
There is no question but that the status quo is not tenable. The deadly cycle of violence must be ended. One of the tragedies of this current crisis is that it has so damaged prospects for the development of new attitudes of understanding and mutual respect, without which neither side will be able to achieve their legitimate goals.
Israelis rightly see the failure of some Palestinians to demonstrate full respect for Israel's right to exist and flourish within secure boundaries as a fundamental cause of the conflict. As our Catholic bishops have said over and over again, Palestinian attacks on innocent civilians cannot be tolerated, both because they are morally indefensible and because they undercut the legitimate claims of the Palestinian people. Palestinian leaders must clearly and unequivocally renounce terrorist violence and terrorist acts against innocent civilians and must show the Israeli people that they are fully committed to prepar[ing] their people to live in peace with Israel. ... As difficult as it may be, we are convinced that both Israelis and Palestinians are called to be partners in an historic peace.
Despite the current crisis, the elements of a just and lasting peace remain the same: real security for the state of Israel, a viable state for Palestinians, just resolution of the refugee problem, and agreement on Jerusalem, which protects basic religious freedoms and other basic rights, and implementation of the resolutions of international law. This has been our constant Catholic bishops' position over the past many years and is the position of the Catholic community.
