Damascus, Syria, Feb 21, 2012 / 02:23 am
Catholic leaders have called for negotiations to prevent a civil war in Syria, where the conflict between government supporters and opponents is being compared to last year's fight for control of Libya.
“Everybody is suffering in Syria because there is violence coming from every side,” Maronite Archbishop Paul N. El-Sayeh of Antioch told the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need in remarks released Feb. 20.
“It is a desperate situation,” the Beirut-based Lebanese archbishop said of the violence taking place across the border in Syria. “I wish everyone would sit down and negotiate. Problems cannot be solved by violence.”
Archbishop El-Sayeh's hope for peace in Syria is shared by Pope Benedict XVI, who renewed his appeal for Syrians “to put an end to violence and bloodshed” in a recent Angelus address. The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land has also voiced its concern for the country in recent days.