Pope Francis pleaded for solidarity with those fleeing war and poverty who travel 'all too often through inhumane conditions and not infrequently at the risk of their lives'
"I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land." Joel 3:2 (KJV)
EDITOR'S NOTE: In the third chapter of Joel, we read about one of the fundamental reasons for God's anger at the Battle of Armageddon. It is because outside nations have parted the land of Israel, dispersed His people, and stolen His silver and gold. Think about that as you ponder on the Pope calling for Israel to be divided today. The cup is filling up rapidly.
Pope Francis used his Christmas message to urge Israelis and Palestinians to formulate a two state solution by sitting down at the negotiation table and agreeing a peace deal to allow both sides 'to live together in harmony'.
He asked that Israelis and Palestinians resume direct dialogue which would 'enable two people to live together in harmony and end a conflict which has caused great conflict for the entire region', before praying for an end to the civil war in Syria and 'in remedying the extremely grave humanitarian situation of its suffering people'.
Speaking from the loggia of St Peter's Basilica in Rome, Francis issued a Christmas Day peace appeal Friday against poverty and extremist attacks.
He said: 'Only God's mercy can free humanity from the many forms of evil, at times monstrous evil, which selfishness spawns in our midst.'
'Where God is born, hope is born. He brings hope. Where God is born, peace is born. And where peace is born, there is no longer room for hatred and for war.'
He asked that Israelis and Palestinians resume direct dialogue which would 'enable two people to live together in harmony and end a conflict which has caused great conflict for the entire region', before praying for an end to the civil war in Syria and 'in remedying the extremely grave humanitarian situation of its suffering people'.
Pope Francis then turned his thoughts to those affected by 'brutal acts of terrorism', mentioning the recent attacks that left hundreds dead in the likes of Egypt, Paris and Tunisia. He also called for the international community to end the atrocities taking place in Iraq, Libya, Yemen and sub-Saharan Africa, and called for peace and concord across Africa and in Ukraine.
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