[From the Vatican website]

I direct a heartfelt appeal to all of you to continue to pray with persistence for peace in the Holy Land, in light of the tragic events of these last days. I still have in my mind a vivid memory of the encounter this past 8 June with Patriarch Bartolomeo, President Peres and President Abbas, together with whom we invoked the gift of peace and listened to the call to break the spiral of hatred and violence.

One might think that this meeting was in vain. But no! Prayer helps us not to let ourselves be defeated by evil, nor to resign ourselves to violence and hatred prevailing over dialogue and reconciliation.

I urge the interested parties and all local and national political leaders to spare no prayer and to spare no effort to put an end to every hostility and seek the desired peace for the good of all. And I ask all of you to join in prayer. In silence, all together, let us pray. (Silent prayer)

Now, Lord, help us! May you grant us peace, teach us peace, guide us toward peace. Open our eyes and our hearts and grant us the courage to say: "no more war!"; "with war all is destroyed!". Instill in us the courage to perform concrete actions to build peace.... Make us willing to listen to the cry of our citizens who ask that our weapons be transformed into instruments of peace, our fears to trust and our tensions to forgiveness. Amen