Amid continuing concern over the stability of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Pope Leo XIV yesterday met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Source: CNS.
Pope Leo welcomed Mr Abbas to the Vatican to celebrate the 10th anniversary of a Vatican-Palestinian agreement recognising the State of Palestine and guaranteeing the freedom of the Catholic Church in the territory.
“During the cordial talks, it was recognised that there is an urgent need to provide assistance to the civilian population in Gaza and to end the conflict by pursuing a two-state solution,” the Vatican said in a statement released after the 30-minute meeting yesterday..
While it was their first meeting in person, Pope Leo and Mr Abbas spoke by telephone in July when the fighting was still raging in Gaza and the humanitarian disaster was increasingly intense.
The Palestinian Authority claims Gaza as part of its territory and controlled the region before Hamas took over in 2007. Mr Abbas, who has been the president of Palestine since 2005, belongs to the Fatah party, which has been in an ongoing conflict with Hamas.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Pope Leo said he was thankful that the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire was continuing even though it was “very fragile.”
He was also asked about Israelis expanding settlements in the West Bank and settlers threatening Palestinian villagers and provoking tensions by going up to the square outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam.
Al-Aqsa is located on what is known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount, where the two biblical Jewish Temples stood.
“The issue of the West Bank and these settlers is really complicated,” Pope Leo said. “Israel says one thing and then does another sometimes. We want to try to work together for justice for all people.”
With the signing in 2015 of the “Comprehensive Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Palestine,” the Holy See officially recognised the state of Palestine and restated its longtime support of a two-state solution to tensions in the Holy Land with both Israel and Palestine enjoying sovereignty, security and defined borders.
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Pope welcomes Palestinian leader; discusses Gaza, peace (By Cindy Wooden, CNS)
