Pope: Abbas man of peace, Abbas: murdering Israelis not a punishable crime

Pope: Abbas man of peace, Abbas: murdering Israelis not a punishable crime
Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA 25 May 2014

Below we have the Pope calling Mahmoud Abbas a "man of peace".

At the same event, Abbas repeated his demand, in the Pope's presence, that
any Palestinian who murders an Israeli today must not be punished.

Yes. That's what Mahmoud Abbas said.

He said that Israel must release all Palestinian prisoners.

That's ALL prisoners - regardless of what they did and when they did it.

Let's make this simple: if the Palestinians mark the visit of the Pope by
slaughtering Israeli babies live on television and Israeli forces capture
the Palestinian murderers it is the DEMAND of "man of peace" Abbas that
Israel release these murderers.

That's release. Not transfer to the PA for prosecution.

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Pope to Abbas: 'You are known as a man of peace'
Published today (updated) 25/05/2014 11:22
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=699794

The following is the official translation of the full text of Pope Francis'
speech at the Palestinian president palace beside Mahmoud Abbas Sunday
morning.

Mr President,
Dear Friends,

I thank President Mahmoud Abbas for his kind welcome and I offer cordial
greetings to the representatives of the government and the entire
Palestinian people. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to be here with you
today in the birthplace of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. I thank all of you
for your warm reception.

For decades the Middle East has known the tragic consequences of a
protracted conflict which has inflicted many wounds so difficult to heal.
Even in the absence of violence, the climate of instability and a lack of
mutual understanding have produced insecurity, the violation of rights,
isolation and the flight of entire communities, conflicts, shortages and
sufferings of every sort.

In expressing my closeness to those who suffer most from this conflict, I
wish to state my heartfelt conviction that the time has come to put an end
to this situation which has become increasingly unacceptable. For the good
of all, there is a need to intensify efforts and initiatives aimed at
creating the conditions for a stable peace based on justice, on the
recognition of the rights of every individual, and on mutual security. The
time has come for everyone to find the courage to be generous and creative
in the service of the common good, the courage to forge a peace which rests
on the acknowledgment by all of the right of two States to exist and to live
in peace and security within internationally recognized borders.

To this end, I can only express my profound hope that all will refrain from
initiatives and actions which contradict the stated desire to reach a true
agreement, and that peace will be pursued with tireless determination and
tenacity. Peace will bring countless benefits for the peoples of this region
and for the world as a whole. And so it must resolutely be pursued, even if
each side has to make certain sacrifices.

I pray that the Palestinian and Israeli peoples and their respective leaders
will undertake this promising journey of peace with the same courage and
steadfastness needed for every journey. Peace in security and mutual trust
will become the stable frame of reference for confronting and resolving
every other problem, and thus provide an opportunity for a balanced
development, one which can serve as a model for other crisis areas.

Here I would like to say a word about the active Christian community which
contributes significantly to the common good of society, sharing in the joys
and sufferings of the whole people. Christians desire to continue in this
role as full citizens, along with their fellow citizens, whom they regard as
their brothers and sisters.

Mr President, you are known as a man of peace and a peacemaker. Our recent
meeting in the Vatican and my presence today in Palestine attest to the good
relations existing between the Holy See and the State of Palestine. I trust
that these relations can further develop for the good of all. In this
regard, I express my appreciation for the efforts being made to draft an
agreement between the parties regarding various aspects of the life of the
Catholic community in this country, with particular attention to religious
freedom. Respect for this fundamental human right is, in fact, one of the
essential conditions for peace, fraternity and harmony. It tells the world
that it is possible and necessary to build harmony and understanding between
different cultures and religions. It also testifies to the fact that, since
the important things we share are so many, it is possible to find a means of
serene, ordered and peaceful coexistence, accepting our differences and
rejoicing that, as children of the one God, we are all brothers and sisters.

Mr President, dear friends gathered here in Bethlehem: may Almighty God
bless you, protect you and grant you the wisdom and strength needed to
continue courageously along the path to peace, so that swords will be turned
into ploughshares and this land will once more flourish in prosperity and
concord. Salaam!




Credit to IMRA