Establishing the first point, the Pope said, "commitment to truth is the soul of justice." Dedication to truth, he said, requires one "to reject the law of might, which is based on a lie, and has so frequently marked human history, nationally and internationally, with tragedy." The reliance on power, he said, includes a willingness to distort the truth, which can be seen in political regimes "of the past, but not only the past."

Experienced diplomats who are dedicated to truth will recognize the legitimate needs and aspirations of their counterparts from other countries, the Pope said. To illustrate his point he mentioned "that nerve point of the world scene which is the Holy Land." He continued:

There, the State of Israel has to be able to exist peacefully in conformity with the norms of international law; there, equally, the Palestinian people has to be able to develop serenely its own democratic institutions for a free and prosperous future.

# posted by Squach : 6:06 AM   |