VATICAN CITY, DEC. 4, 2001 (Zenit.org).- As Israel launched retaliatory attacks for last weekend's terrorist violence, L'Osservatore Romano contended that "precisely when bombs seem to replace words, it is even clearer that dialogue is the only way out."
The Vatican's semiofficial newspaper, in its Dec. 5 Italian edition, said the Holy See follows with "grief and concern" the tragic events in the Middle East.
The paper referred to John Paul II's words before last Sunday's midday Angelus, when he stressed "the gravity of the situation."
"Once again, clashes and hatred stymie the hope for peace, which struggles to become a reality," the paper stated.
Yet Israeli-Palestinian dialogue, it said, is "the only instrument capable of leading to peaceful coexistence."
Zenit - The World Seen From Rome
4. desember 2001