Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday called on world governments to ensure that humanitarian law was applied in conflict zones, saying civilian losses like those inflicted during the recent war in Lebanon must be prevented.
In a traditional papal message for the Catholic Church's World Day of Peace, to be celebrated on New Year's Day, the pope stressed that humanitarian law should also be applied in the fight against international terrorism.
"The painful case of Lebanon and the new shape of conflicts, especially since the terrorist threat has created new forms of violence, demands that the international community reaffirm international humanitarian law and apply it to all present-day situations of armed conflict, including those not currently covered by international law," he said.
Benedict said humanitarian law had been flouted in "certain recent situations of war", citing the July-August conflict between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in which hundreds of Lebanese civilians died.
He also urged countries to reconsider what was ethically permissible in their bid to protect their citizens from the "scourge of terrorism".
He did not directly mention the United States, which has been criticised over its detention of terrorist suspects in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and the practice of rendition, whereby such suspects are secretly transported to third countries to be interrogated and possibly tortured.
The 79-year-old pope condemned war in general, saying that it "always represents a failure for the international community and a grave loss of humanity".
The 14-page message, to be sent to all heads of state and government and international organisations, also focused on human rights, saying they were under "constant attack" and had to be "adequately defended".
The pope said the United Nations' 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights represented a "moral responsibility towards all of mankind" and that the rights enshrined should be regarded as part of "man's God-created nature".
Benedict called on international organisations to "never lose sight of the natural foundation of the rights of man".
He went on to urge Christians everywhere to "strenuously defend the dignity of man and his inalienable rights".
The wide-ranging message also underscored the need for religious freedom, saying failure to respect this right automatically undermined peace.
"There are regimes which impose a single religion on all citizens, and other indifferent regimes which fuel a systematic cultural mockery of religious beliefs," he said.
In particular, the pontiff condemned the persecution of Christians in certain states.
In other points, the pope spoke out against euthanasia, abortion, the exploitation and sexual abuse of children by adults, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the environmental destruction caused by human development.
He also highlighted women's rights, saying that in certain societies, women were "subject to the wills of men with damaging consequences for their dignity and the exercise of fundamental freedom".
