Cardinal Parolin to Trump, Israel: End the war as soon as possible
Cardinal Pietro Parolin urged an end to conflicts as soon as possible due to the risk of escalation. Speaking at a book presentation in Rome, Parolin stated he would tell U.S. President Trump to stop the war immediately. The Cardinal also directed a message to Israelis, encouraging them to resolve issues through peaceful diplomacy and dialogue. Parolin specifically mentioned telling others to "leave Lebanon alone."
about 1 month ago
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, urged an immediate end to the ongoing Middle East conflict during a book presentation in Rome on March 18, 2026.1 2
He warned of imminent escalation risks, stating there are no current signs of de-escalation in the region.3 4 5
Parolin said he would tell Donald Trump to "put an end to it as soon as possible" and "leave Lebanon alone."1 2
This direct appeal highlights concerns over U.S. involvement amid rising tensions.1
The same message applies to Israel, with Parolin calling for resolution of "problems that may exist—or that they believe exist"—through diplomacy and dialogue.1 2 3
He specifically urged leaving Lebanon in peace amid Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets, including Beirut.2
Articles link the conflict to war in Iran and intensified Israeli actions in Lebanon, part of a volatile regional dynamic.2 3 4 5
Parolin emphasized pursuing "peaceful channels" over military action, criticizing logic driven by profit, national interests, and power.3 4 5
The remarks occurred at the launch of "Leo XIV: Who Do You Say I Am? I Am a Son of Saint Augustine."1 2 3
Parolin praised Pope Leo XIV's weekly peace appeals as "penetrating" and "serene," promoting a "disarmed and disarming" approach rooted in listening and dialogue.3 4 5
Parolin described collaboration with the U.S.-born Pope as "very easy," marked by fruitful exchange and attentive listening.1 2
He highlighted Leo XIV's synodal style, emphasizing shared decision-making, unity through patient dialogue, and authority as service.3 4 5
Parolin decried rising military spending and disregard for international law fueling instability.3 4 5
The Vatican proposes "listening, dialogue, and love" as alternatives, continuing papal traditions from Benedict XV to Paul VI.3 4 5
Advocate papal tradition of peaceful diplomacy in Middle East conflicts
The Catholic Church, through successive popes, has upheld a consistent tradition of advocating peaceful diplomacy as the primary path to resolving Middle East conflicts, emphasizing dialogue, justice, prayer, and multilateral cooperation over violence or force. This approach, rooted in Gospel principles, rejects revenge, terrorism, and unilateral aggression while promoting reconciliation, respect for religious freedom, and solutions like the two-state framework for Israelis and Palestinians.
Popes have repeatedly framed peace not merely as an absence of war but as an active gift from Christ—"My peace I give to you" (Jn 14:27)—requiring personal and collective purification of the heart, elimination of pride and vindictiveness, and careful dialogue. Pope Leo XIV, in his address to the Diplomatic Corps, underscores that peace begins "in the heart and from the heart," with religions and interreligious dialogue playing a "fundamental contribution" by fostering respect for religious freedom, essential for human persons and peaceful relationships. This inner work eliminates root causes of conflict, such as destructive conquests, and demands halting arms production to prevent rearmament races.
Similarly, Pope Francis highlighted peacemaking as a beatitude (Mt 5:9), a responsibility for all amid a "third world war fought piecemeal," urging cease-fires, hostage releases, humanitarian aid, and protection of civilians, hospitals, schools, and worship sites. War, he insists, is "always already a defeat," with violence yielding no winners. This tradition echoes Pope Paul VI's vision of Holy See diplomacy as promoting solidarity over egoism, addressing issues like the Middle East's "war of energy sources" through justice, equity, and openness to others' rights.
From the early 20th century, popes invoked prayer and justice for Palestine amid conflicts. Pope Benedict XV, during World War I, called for public prayers that peace conferences yield "true peace founded on the Christian principles of justice," with Catholics supporting order and civil progress. Pope Pius XII, confronting post-WWII violence in the Holy Land, condemned recourse to violence, insisting peace requires "truth and justice" by respecting acquired rights, especially religious ones, and fulfilling obligations of all inhabitants. He decried the "devastation of the Holy Places" and the destruction of Christ's sepulcher, urging prayers under Mary's auspices for a just settlement and restored concord.
This tradition persisted: Pius XII praised Poland's resistance to Nazi aggression while favoring diplomacy and international organizations to obviate force, recognizing legitimate self-defense but prioritizing peaceful resolution. Such interventions reflect the Church's non-pacifist yet diplomacy-first stance, where force is a last resort under strict conditions, only after exhausting international law's peaceful tools.
Pope John Paul II advanced this legacy by rejecting aggression in favor of "courageous dialogue" motivated by building a shared future. Addressing Middle East violence, he condemned terrorism and war as dead ends, pleading for negotiations to end armed conflict and restore hope. To Israel's ambassador, he encouraged the peace process, noting mutual trust was no longer utopian, and invoked divine help for regional leaders. Emphasizing "no peace without justice," he shared a "moral vision" of ethical monotheism uniting Jews, Christians, and Muslims, respecting all peoples' inalienable rights against wrongs.
The Church's contribution, he clarified, favors peace for all, not one side, grounded in Gospel truth about the human person, beyond ideology or self-interest.
Pope Leo XIV continues this tradition vigorously. In Lebanon, he prayed for the Middle East's war victims, rejecting "the mindset of revenge and violence" to overcome divisions via reconciliation, urging hearts educated for peace. During his apostolic journey, he affirmed sustainable peace is achievable through conversations with leaders like Trump and Netanyahu, leveraging Holy See diplomacy for cease-fires and peace, as proclaimed at Mass. To diplomats, he lamented multilateralism's weakness, war's resurgence, and violations of post-WWII borders, advocating dialogue for consensus over force-based diplomacy. He supports two-state solutions for Palestinians and Israelis, lasting peace in Gaza, and ending West Bank violence, ensuring Palestinians live in peace in their land.
The Holy See's diplomacy serves the Church's mission while benefiting civil society through "religious peace," civic education, and cooperation on global issues like hunger and ecology. U.S. bishops echo this, urging holistic responses beyond force—cease-fires, negotiations, inclusive societies, humanitarian aid via faith-based groups, and refugee resettlement—while recognizing proportionate force against unjust aggressors like ISIS under international law, but prioritizing prevention and roots of terror. War harms human dignity; nations must seek peaceful conflict resolution, reconstruction, and conscientious objection rights.
This tradition counters force with law's force, as John Paul II stressed: "pacta sunt servanda," favoring law over force.
The papal tradition of peaceful diplomacy in Middle East conflicts—from Benedict XV's prayers to Leo XIV's engagements—demonstrates unwavering fidelity to Christ's peace, prioritizing justice, dialogue, multilateralism, and two-state aspirations. It challenges the international community to revive these paths, rejecting war's zeal for hearts open to others. Catholics and all people of goodwill are called to support this witness, praying and acting for reconciliation in the Holy Land and beyond.