Catholics making the Way of the Cross in Bethlehem stop before the rubble of a building targeted by Israeli soldiers .
':, M " ' .i- i' < > '-melty' Vatican condemns terrorism , injustices agains t Palestinians , i—
By John Thavis Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) - With the IsraeliPalestinian conflict penetrating the birthplace of Jesus, Pope John Paul II appealed for worldwide prayers and the Vatican launched an intense round of diplomacy. Pope John Paul called for a worldwide day of prayer for peace in the Middle East April 7, Divine Mercy Sunday. Speaking that day at his noon blessing at the Vatican , the pope said only prayer could help people overcome "hatred and the thirst for vengeance " and take up the road of dialogue. In Washington , Bishop Wilton D. Gregory of Belleville , 111., president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called for "stronger efforts by the United States and the international community to bring to an end the violence and terror,
occupation and attacks , which are destroying so many lives and hopes. " He said the Bush administration should app ly pressure on both sides to stop the Palestinian suicide bombings in Israeli civilian areas and to promote a "rapid withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank. " The heads of men's and women's religious conferences in the United States urged Bush to seek an "unconditional end to the violence " in the Middle East. In a letter to Bush , the religious leaders urged the president to "call for an unconditional end to the violence by both parties and to insist that the Israeli military withdraw from the occupied territories immediately." When he announced his prayer day initiative , the pope warned that the events in the Holy Land seemed to be drifting toward "inhuman cruelty." . "How can we forget that Israelis and Palestinians , INHUMAN CRUELTY, page 6
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Relatives and friends mourn f o r the 11 p eop le killed in a Palestinian suicide bombing at a Jerusalem cafe.
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