Pope ask Christians to mobilize against war

6 Aug 2006

VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict XVI has called on Christians and others touched by his words to mobilise against the widening warfare in the Middle East, saying no good comes out of war, not even for the victors.

Benedict pressed his campaign for a rapid peaceful solution to the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon during an interview with German media to be broadcast in Germany on August 13.

The Vatican released the pope's answer to one of the questions, about the situation in the Middle East.

"Naturally, the Holy See does not want any political power," Benedict replied, during the interview on Saturday morning in his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, a hill town outside Rome.

"But we want to appeal to Christians and to all those who feel in some way touched by the words of the Holy See so that all the forces which recognise that war is the worst solution for everybody are mobilised," the pontiff said.

War "doesn't bring any good for anybody, not even for the apparent victors," Benedict said. "We know that well in Europe, following two World Wars."