Pope calls for peace in Holy Land
During weekly address, Benedict XVI tells pilgrims 'let us invoke gift of peace for that Land blessed by God'; releases two white doves
Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday called for peace in the Holy Land, as preliminary talks to relaunch negotiations between Israel and Palestine ended in a deadlock over the last few days.
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"I want to remember the International Day of intercession for peace in the Holy Land," said the 84-year-old pontiff during his Angelus address. "In profound communion with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the guardian of the Holy Land, let us invoke the gift of peace for that Land blessed by God," he said.
Palestinian officials said last week an Israeli negotiator's verbal presentation of ideas for borders and security arrangements of a future Palestinian state was a non-starter, envisaging a fenced-off territory of cantons that would preserve most Jewish settlements.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said peace prospects with the Palestinians are now looking poor.
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators held five rounds of exploratory talks in Jordan, part of a push by international mediators to revive negotiations suspended in 2010 in a dispute over Jewish settlement building in the West Bank.
At the end of his weekly message, Benedict released two white doves from the window of the papal apartment as a sign of peace, a tradition he renews every year at the end of January along with two children from Azione Cattolica (Catholic Action), Italy's oldest and most widespread Catholic organization.
The doves seemed to prefer the pope's company to the great outdoors, and he had trouble convincing them to take flight.
The first dove hesitated on the windowsill of the pope's Vatican apartment for a long spell before flying off, while the second flew back into the room before flying out again.
"They want to stay in the pope's home," Benedict said, flanked by the two children.
Reuters, AFP contributed to the report
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