By Dr. Hassan Humeida
KIEL, GERMANY: VATICAN: The call by Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday to the warring sides in the Israel-Iran war to “reject the logic of bullying and revenge” and choose a path of dialogue and diplomacy to reach peace should be heeded for the sake of humanity.
The papal call is a profound necessity that echoes through the suffering of wounded families, the ruins of war-torn cities, and the silence of lost lives.
Peace is the foundation upon which nations and the world build security, stability, education, justice and prosperity.
History has regularly shown that while violence breeds only more violence, perpetuating cycles of suffering and destruction, peace, by contrast, understanding, cooperation and the flourishing of cultures and communities.
“Heal the lacerations caused by the bloody actions of recent days, reject all logic of bullying and revenge, and resolutely take the path of dialogue, diplomacy and peace,” the Pope said as he held Wednesday General Audience in the Vatican.
On Sunday, the Pope deplored that “alarming news continues to arrive from the Middle East.” said Pope Leo on Sunday at the Angelus address.
“In this dramatic scenario, which includes Israel and Palestine, the daily suffering of the population—especially in Gaza and other territories—risks being forgotten, even as the need for adequate humanitarian aid becomes ever more urgent.”
“Today more than ever, humanity cries out and pleads for peace.”
He stressed that the cry for peace “demands responsibility and reason and must not be drowned out by the roar of weapons or by rhetorical words that incite conflict.”
Every member of the international community should take up their moral responsibility to stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable abyss, he added.
As of mid-2025, several regions around the world remain gripped by violent conflict, with the Middle East, Sudan, and Kashmir among the most severely affected. These wars are not isolated events but are deeply rooted in long-standing political, ethnic, and territorial disputes.
Sustained and focused international diplomatic and humanitarian engagement is needed to deal with the local, regional and global consequences -ranging from mass displacement to food insecurity – of these conflicts.
As the first half of this year has clearly demonstrated, without coordinated and sustained action, these conflicts risk deepening, and entrenching cycles of violence for future generations.
Pope Leo XIV warned that when human dignity is at stake, no conflict is distant.
“War does not solve problems. On the contrary, it amplifies them and causes deep wounds in the history of peoples—wounds that take generations to heal. No military victory can ever compensate for a mother’s pain, a child’s fear, or a stolen future.”
For the Pope, diplomacy is the crucial solution.
“Let diplomacy silence the weapons. Let nations shape their future with works of peace, not through violence and bloody conflicts!”
