The apostolic nuncio to Israel and Cyprus responded to a March 23
terrorist attack in Jerusalem that left one dead and 40 injured.
Archbishop Antonio Franco remarked that the violence “does nothing but complicate the situation, as this is never the solution.”
The archbishop spoke with SIR news agency on March 23.
“When a state
of tension exists, there is always someone ready to make the situation
worse by carrying acts like these that cause pain, trauma and
suffering.”
He added that this violence is “completely useless for
resolving problems.”
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Fouad Twal, also
responded to the attacks, condemning every form of “violence and
terrorism.”
“We are against every kind of violence perpetrated by persons, groups
and movements of any kind. We will do everything possible to help
Jerusalem recover its vocation as a holy city of prayer, peace and
pilgrimage,” he said.
“I think that a just and definitive peace is the only means of
salvation for all, for the good of the region and its peoples,” he
added.
Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Franciscan Custodian of the Holy
Land, added that the attack was “an isolated act that is not part of a
wider strategy.”
He encouraged dialogue and called the region to “move
forward without being stopped by the extremism that lacks perspective.”