The great absentee

In the war in progress between Israel and Lebanon, without forgetting Gaza, there is a ‘great absentee’: the international community. At the start of the conflict, there was no attempt to halt the escalation of violence that is destroying cities, sowing death and injuries among the civil populations on both sides. It’s not just a war between Lebanon and Israel: the future of the whole region is here at stake, and the international community seems to be ignoring this. The diplomatic efforts underway at the present time are not producing any important results. Now that the violence, the bombs and the rockets are striking indiscriminately and without drawing any distinctions, the international community is beginning to wake up to the fact that it ought to have taken action earlier. Of course, it’s never too late to find ways of mediation and negotiation that may lead at least to a truce or to a ceasefire. In this diplomatic impasse, the paralysis of Europe is particularly evident. The Old continent, the closest to the Middle East and to its holy places, is struggling to make its voice heard. Were it not for the concrete aid and solidarity given by many Italian, Spanish, French and German NGOs (just to mention some), it might be said that Europe has abandoned the Holy Land. Divided by conflicting interests, incapable of a common external policy, the countries of the EU are dragging their feet in this crisis. It is a question not of taking sides pro or contra the Israelis and the Palestinians, but of raising her voice against war and against the dignity of the violated human person. Amid all the outrages and bloodshed, there is no distinction of nationality, religion, or ethnic group. Here there are people who are suffering and who need to be helped. The only one to raise his voice invoking “the gift of concord” to restore the political leaders “to the path of reason” was the Pope, who on Sunday 23 July called a special day of prayer and penance “so that the gunfire may immediately cease”. The Church has always been in the front line in promoting dialogue and peace, also through the revival of pilgrimages. We think of the many faithful who, led by their own bishops, have returned to fill the holy places of Christ with their presence, especially in these last two years. But now all this risks being rendered vain. In Lebanon a task of reconstruction that has lasted for decades was wiped out in a few days. This conflict is a scandal in which many countries of the so-called international community are compromised. It’s enough to think of the arms trade in which not only Iran and Syria are involved. Europe experienced on its own soil two world wars and more recently the bitter regional conflicts that climaxed in the war in the Balkans. So Europe knows only too well the tragedy that wars cause in peoples. We ask Europe for a serious commitment to the person, in his totality. The population does not want war; it wants to live in peace: it does not want to become accustomed to war. It’s time to put aside personal interests and think instead of the advantage of everyone. A general mobilization led by the Catholics and Christians of Europe is needed to put pressure on their respective governments to wake up from their slumber, begin to promote a culture of life, and create bridges between cultures and nations. That’s the only way to prevent conflicts.