Italian
Peace Is the Fruit of Justice: What We Need Is Cooperation Between States and Institutions, Not Division
ITALY – October 7, 2023, marks a deep wound: the terrorist attack by Hamas against the Israeli population resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people and the abduction of numerous hostages, some of whom remain in the hands of the terrorists. Since that day, a war has drenched the Middle East in blood—yet today, the first glimmers of peace are beginning to emerge.
I am convinced that peace cannot be the product of slogans or opposing crowds in the streets, but only of a patient and tireless diplomatic effort. It is the diplomacy of States, supported by national and supranational institutions alike, that can lead us to the long-awaited day of reconciliation. Opus iustitiae pax: peace is the fruit of justice.
This effort must be accompanied by unity: governments, political parties, and institutions must work together, without division. Peace is not built through street protests: honest citizens naturally desire peace, but when protest descends into insult and violence, it becomes a hindrance rather than a tool. The war between Israel and Palestine has become a point of contention even in the streets, on television talk shows, and in Parliament. But polarization does not serve the common good.
Young people must be wisely guided to understand the historical and political roots of these events, without being dragged into a spiral of conflict that turns them into both victims and instruments of violence. Their natural striving for justice should not be exploited to fuel division, but rather nurtured to help build a future.
I trust that the day of peace will come soon. I place my hope in the work of diplomacy, in cooperation among States, and in the ability to distinguish those who act for the collective good from those pursuing agendas unrelated to the common interest.
I express my solidarity with Liliana Segre, unjustly accused of lacking clarity, and with all the Jewish women who were victims of the violence of October 7, 2023—women whose suffering has, in some cases, even been denied. Peace cannot be built on the denial of facts, but on mutual respect and recognition.
