杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

杏MAP导航 Francis granted an interview to Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS), a Swiss public station broadcasting in French, a portion of which was released on Saturday afternoon.

The full interview with Lorenzo Buccella of the cultural programme 鈥淐liché鈥� was recorded in early February and will air on the Swiss TV station on March 20.

In the interview, according to the transcript by RTS, the 杏MAP导航 offered his thoughts on the wars staining the globe, especially Russia鈥檚 war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Every day at 7 PM, the 杏MAP导航 places a phone call to the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, where 600 people are sheltering.

鈥淭hey tell me about what they are witnessing,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is a war. And it takes two to make war, not just one. Those responsible are these two who make war.鈥�

He also lamented the 鈥済uerilla war鈥� waged by Hamas, calling war 鈥渁 terrible thing.鈥�

鈥楴egotiations are never a surrender鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis added that both sides of any war should always come to the table to carry out peace talks.

鈥淣egotiations are never a surrender,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is the courage not to carry a country to suicide.鈥�

Speaking about peace talks, the 杏MAP导航 urged parties to the war in Ukraine to 鈥渘ot be ashamed to negotiate before things get worse.鈥�

He pointed out that negotiations can also be carried out with the help of 鈥渋nternational powers.鈥�

鈥淭he word 鈥榥egotiate鈥� is a couragous word,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen you see that you are defeated, that things are not going well, it is necessary to have the courage to negotiate. You may feel ashamed, but with how many deaths will it end? Negotiate in time; look for some country that can mediate. Today, for example in the war in Ukraine, there are many who want to mediate. Turkey has offered itself for this. And others. Do not be ashamed to negotiate before things get worse.鈥�

鈥榃ar is always a human defeat, not a geographic one鈥�

Later in the interview, 杏MAP导航 Francis repeated his refrain that 鈥渨ar is madness; it is madness.鈥�

Asked about the image of the dove as a symbol of peace, the 杏MAP导航 recalled an event that occurred during his Sunday Angelus prayer on January 26, 2014. After two children with him released a pair of white doves after his appeal for peace, the doves were attacked by a black crow and a seagull.

鈥淭here is an image that always comes to me,鈥� he said in the Swiss TV interview. 鈥淥n the occasion of a commemoration where I had to speak about peace and release two doves, the first time I did it, immediately a crow present in St. Peter's Square rose up, grabbed the dove, and took it away. It's harsh. And this is somewhat what happens with war. Many innocent people cannot grow, many children have no future.鈥�

Many Ukrainian children come to greet him, added the 杏MAP导航, lamenting that they have lost the ability to smile.

鈥淎 child who doesn鈥檛 know how to smile does not seem to have a future,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ar is always a defeat: a human defeat, not a geographic one.鈥�

鈥榃ar is the power of darkness鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis went on to consider the influence of arms manufacturers on wars.

鈥淭here are some who say, 鈥業t鈥檚 true but we must defend ourselves鈥︹�� But then you realize they have a factory that produces airplanes to bomb others,鈥� he said. 鈥淒efend ourselves, no. Destroy. How does a war end? With death, destruction, and children without parents.鈥�

He noted that there are always geographic or historical situations that provoke a war, leading to the conclusion that the war 鈥渟eems just based on practical motives.鈥�

鈥淏ut behind every war,鈥� he added, 鈥渢here is the arms industry, and this means money.鈥�

War, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渋s darkness, the power of darkness.鈥�