Siniora asks Card.Sodano to push for ceasefire
Foreigners are fleeing from Beirut and tourist resorts, where displaced Lebanese people are taking refuge. The nuncio in Israel expressed the great concern of Benedict XVI. In Washington, Patriarch Sfeir urged Condoleezza Rice to impose a ceasefire.
Beirut (AsiaNews) A ceasefire is the urgent priority of the Lebanese government, which has turned to the Holy See for help. The press office of the Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, reported a "long communication by telephone" between the premier and the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano. Siniora, according to his press office, called for the immediate intervention of the Holy See to push the parties to announce a ceasefire. The Cardinal expressed the pope's special interest in Lebanon and his concern about the deterioration of the situation which could, as he said recently, "have international repercussions". The prime minister thanked the pope for his noble sentiments with regard to Lebanon.
Meanwhile there seems to be no let up in the situation on the ground between bombings, rocket launches and tens of thousands of foreigners fleeing Lebanon, leaving behind empty hotels in holiday resorts, which are being occupied by Lebanese people seeking refuge from zones in the line of fire, like southern Beirut and the south of the country. In places like Beit Mery and Broummana that were hosting thousands of tourists, new cars leaving modern hotels are meeting trucks and even carts arriving with thousands of displaced people.
In the United States, Patriarch Sfeir met the Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, in Washington. The patriarch is in the US for a pastoral visit to Maronites there. Sources close to the patriarch spoke of the emotion and concern expressed by Card. Sfeir to Rice. He called for the imposition of a ceasefire, with the disarmament of all the militias who do not form part of the Lebanese army. This seems to have become one of the aims of the Israeli onslaught. Yesterday, in just one attack, when the barracks of Jamhour (near the presidential palace) was shelled, the army paid a very high price with the death of 11 soldiers and four officials. The Defence Minister, Elias El Murr, launched a strong appeal to "peace builders", reiterated his condemnation of Israel for striking the national army, which is blameless, and promised to defend each and every soldier, "because the army is Lebanese and the army of all Lebanon".
Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Post reported that the Nuncio, Mgr Antonio Franco, said he has asked Israel and Hezbollah to immediately put an end to the violence and to start negotiating. "The pope is very concerned about the violent activity on both sides," he said. "The use of force can be understood under the present situation, but reason has to prevail." He was speaking during a meeting with 30 Catholic school teachers from the US in his parish on the Mount of Olives.
The Vatican diplomat also said he had sought to obtain the release of Corporal Gilad Shalit, kidnapped in Gaza, from Hamas. "We received no response from the Hamas," he added.
(additional reporting by Yousef Hourani)
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