Calls For The Ukrainian War To The Palestine-Israeli Conflict Ended, Pope Francis: Rindu Peace Children

Pope Francis. (Twitter/@VaticanNews)

JAKARTA - Pope Francis said the world was suffering from hunger for peace in his Christmas speech, known as the blessing of Urbi et Orbi and his papal message.

He spoke of the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, the same place he first appeared as a Pope when he was elected on March 13, 2013.

The irreversation of the end of the war in Ukraine, in which 10 months of violence has led to an energy crisis and global food inflation, and resulted in at least 200,000 military casualties, Pope Francis described the conflict as "absurd".

"May God inspire us to offer a real solidarity movement, to help all those who suffer, and may he enlighten the minds of those who have the power to silence the roar of arms and immediately end this unreasonable war," Pope Francis told The National News Dec. 25.

On that occasion, the Pope also stressed the importance for people to remember many other conflicts around the world, reflecting on their prayers for the suffering of people in Iran, Syria, Sahel and Haiti.

He urged further dialogue between Israel and Palestine, amid the worst years of violence since 2015 in conflict for decades.

"Let's look at the faces of all the children who, anywhere in the world, miss peace," he exclaimed.

On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis also called for an end to violence in the world, highlighting how greed and the passion for power are the driving force in unnecessary war.

"As usual, the main victim of human greed is the weak and vulnerable," he said, denouncing "a world that is greedy for money, power and pleasure."

In connection with this theme, Pope Francis said in his Christmas speech, too much greed and waste while many are starving.

"Today, as we sit around a well-stampled table, hopefully we don't take our eyes off Bethlehem, a city whose name means 'arice house', but think about all that, especially children, who are starving when eating big. The amount of food every day is wasted and resources are spent on weapons," the Pope said.

"The war in Ukraine is exacerbating this situation, making all people threatened with hunger, especially in Afghanistan and in Horn-African countries," he said.

It is known that Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine sent a shock wave through the global food market. The combination of the two countries accounts for about 20 percent of global grain exports.

The war also caused a surge in energy prices amid US and European sanctions against Russia's oil and gas industries.