On April 20, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN, gave an intervention during the Security Council Open Debate on “The Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question.”

In his statement, Archbishop Auza said that the use of chemical weapons in Syria and the Palm Sunday terrorist bombings in Egypt have plunged parts of the Middle East to new lows of barbarism, attacking the very foundation of human dignity and rights. He said that the security of Lebanon and neighboring countries is being threatened by armed groups, risking the governability of the region. The Holy See reiterated its support for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine negotiated between the Parties. The Holy See also urged religious leaders to speak out forcefully against the use of terror in the region and to control their followers who are claiming that God is behind their reign of terror. Archbishop Auza appealed to arms suppliers to act in accordance with internationally agreed upon norms, lest the weapons be used upon the innocent and to destroy crucial infrastructure. He said that Pope Francis’ April 28-29 visit to Egypt is meant to stress the importance of dialogue and encounter as an antidote to violence and hatred.

The statement can be found here.