ROME – As Pope Leo and Israeli President Isaac Herzog prepared to meet at the Vatican Thursday, Palestine’s envoy to the Holy See voiced hope that the pontiff can succeed in advancing peace efforts.
“His Holiness Pope Leo is receiving President Herzog in unusual times, as the catastrophe continues to unfold in the occupied state of Palestine,” Palestinian Ambassador to the Holy See Issa Kassissieh told Crux.
In advance of Leo and Herzog’s meeting, Kassissieh said, “It is our hope, at a time when world leaders failed drastically to stop the war on Gaza, thus betraying the basic human values and dignity, that the Holy Father, the inherent of St. Peter on earth might succeed when others failed.”
“No doubt, the desperate voices of the children of Gaza, and in the Holy Family parish, are heard by His Holiness,” he said.
Kassissieh referenced Pope Francis’s repeated condemnations of war as a “defeat” for humanity, and lamented that amid the ongoing war in Gaza, “our devastated people are hoping and praying for His Holiness Pope Leo to contribute substantially in bringing justice and peace in the Holy Land.”
To this end, he voiced hope that Pope Leo would visit Gaza “to preside with a peace prayer in the Holy Family parish in Gaza with President Mahmoud Abbas,” adding, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
Pope Leo XIV and Herzog were scheduled to meet at the Vatican on Thursday following a minor disagreement over who had originally proposed the meeting.
After the Israeli president’s office issued a statement Tuesday saying Herzog would visit the Vatican “at the invitation of the pope,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni issued a statement saying, “it is the practice of the Holy See to grant requests for audiences made to the pope by heads of state and government, it is not it’s practice to send them invitations.”
The statement from the Israeli presidency said Thursday’s meeting would focus on “efforts to secure the release of the hostages, the fight against global antisemitism, and the safeguarding of Christian communities in the Middle East, alongside discussions on other political matters.”
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Following his formal meetings, Herzog will have a tour of the Vatican Archives and Library before returning to Israel that afternoon.
Since his election, Pope Leo has attempted to walk a very delicate and balanced line on the Gaza war, repeatedly calling for peace and for access to humanitarian aid, however, he has also consistently urged the release of all hostages.
In his Aug. 27 general audience catechesis, he lamented that the Gaza war is causing “so much terror, destruction, and death.”
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