Pope Francis meets Palestinian leader Abbas amid Gaza crisis

CNA Newsroom, Dec 12, 2024 / 11:55 am

Pope Francis received Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Vatican on Thursday for discussions focused on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and prospects for peace in the Holy Land.

During the 30-minute audience, which was followed by meetings with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for relations with states, the leaders emphasized the importance of reaching a solution for “the two states only through dialogue and diplomacy,” according to a Vatican statement.

The Holy See said the talks also highlighted “the important contribution of the Catholic Church to Palestinian society” and its role in providing humanitarian assistance in Gaza, where officials called for “a ceasefire and the release of all hostages as soon as possible.”

The meeting marked Abbas’ first visit to the Vatican since 2021.

According to the Vatican, the 89-year-old Palestinian leader, who has been in office for about 20 years, has spoken with Pope Francis several times by phone since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by the Islamist terror group Hamas.

During the “cordial talks,” both parties “reiterated the condemnation of all forms of terrorism” while emphasizing the importance of protecting Jerusalem’s special status as “a place of encounter and friendship between the three great monotheistic religions.”

The Vatican expressed hope that the upcoming 2025 Jubilee Year would see the return of pilgrims to the Holy Land, “which longs so much for peace.”

Abbas’ visit to the Vatican in June 2014 included a peace prayer with then-Israeli President Shimon Peres, during which the leaders planted an olive tree together and embraced in a gesture of peace.

The Palestinian president’s visit comes one day before Lebanese interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati is scheduled to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican.