Pope appeals for peace in Iraq and the Holy Land

Pope Benedict XVI today said he was increasingly worried about the violence in Iraq and the Holy Land and appealed for a “peaceful coexistence” between people there.

“There is a need for justice, of a serious and credible commitment to peace, and unfortunately we don’t see them,” Benedict said as he delivered his traditional blessing from his window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

The pontiff urged everyone to pray for peace.

“May the Lord enlighten hearts and let no one avoid their duty to build a peaceful coexistence in the recognition that every man, no matter which population he belongs to, is a brother.”

Israel has escalated military operations in Gaza since Hamas seized a 19-year-old corporal last week in a cross-border raid. Hours before the pope’s words, Israeli aircraft blasted the office of Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. The office was empty at the time, and one bystander was slightly injured.

In Iraq, a massive car bomb exploded Saturday at a bustling outdoor market in a Shiite district of Baghdad, killing at least 66 people and injuring about 100.