VATICAN (CNS): Pope Leo XIV met with Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, on September 4 at the Vatican even as Israeli military operations in Gaza continued,.
The meeting came just a week after Pope Leo appealed again for Israel and Hamas to stop the violence and for Hamas to release the hostages it has held since attacking Israel in October 2023.
With the pope and with Pietro Cardinal Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, Herzog discussed “the political and social situation in the Middle East … where numerous conflicts persist, with particular attention to the tragic situation in Gaza,” the Vatican said.
“A prompt resumption of negotiations was hoped for so that, with openness and courageous decisions, as well as with the support of the international community, it would be possible to secure the release of all hostages, urgently achieve a permanent ceasefire, facilitate the safe entry of humanitarian aid into the most affected areas, and ensure full respect for humanitarian law, as well as for the legitimate aspirations of both peoples,” the Vatican said.
The statement echoed what Pope Leo had said on August 27 when he called on Israel to ensure the safe entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and full respect for humanitarian law, including full observance of “the duty to protect civilians and the prohibitions against collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force and the forced displacement of populations.”
It is the Holy See’s practice to grant requests for an audience with the pope made by heads of state and government; it is not its practice to extend invitations to them
Matteo Bruni, Vatican press office
Unusual public statements as to who initiated the meeting preceded the meeting between the pope and president.
Herzog’s office announced on September 2 that the president “will depart on Thursday morning, for a one-day visit to the Vatican at the invitation of the pope.”
But, saying he was responding to reporters’ questions, Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, said, “It is the Holy See’s practice to grant requests for an audience with the pope made by heads of state and government; it is not its practice to extend invitations to them.”
An unnamed source in Herzog’s office then told Reuters that the president’s meeting had originally been scheduled with Pope Francis but was rescheduled after the pope died in April. The source said the meeting with Pope Leo was arranged in full coordination with the Vatican through diplomatic channels, Reuters reported.
When it announced Herzog’s trip, his office had said that during his meetings with the pope and with Cardinal Parolin the president planned to discuss “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.”
Posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the meeting, Herzog focused on the hostages.
“All leaders of faith and goodwill must stand united in calling for the immediate release of the hostages as the first and essential step toward a better future for the entire region,” he wrote.
Herzog said that Pope Leo’s “inspiration and leadership in the struggle against hatred and violence and in promoting peace around the world is valued and vital.”
