Pope Francis has been sending messages to both sides of the conflict between Israel and Palestine for weeks to try to cool belligerence. On Wednesday morning, the pope decided to go one step further and host two delegations at the Vatican: relatives of Israelis kidnapped by Hamas and relatives of Palestinians detained by Israel under the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. After the meeting, Francis surprised everyone at Wednesday’s public audience with a clear statement about his vision of the conflict: “Here we have left the war behind us.” “This is no longer a war, this is terrorism,” he said.
Pope Francis meets with Israeli relatives of hostages at the Vatican on November 22, 2023. VATICAN MEDIA (via Portal)
The Catholic leader’s statements are notable because they include both Hamas’ attacks and the Israeli army’s actions in Gaza in the category of terrorism. This is a comparison that, at least publicly, much of the international community avoids, particularly those actors who seek to provide some form of assistance in the mediation process. The Pope alluded to the conflict in an impromptu speech at the end of his audience. “Let us not forget to pray persistently for those who suffer from wars in so many parts of the world, especially for the loved ones in Ukraine and in Israel and Palestine.”
The Vatican had been working in recent days to make today’s meeting between the Pope and the Israeli and Palestinian delegations possible. Although the details of the visit were determined earlier, the meeting took place immediately after the agreement between the government of Israel and Hamas to release 50 hostages in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and a four-day ceasefire. “Please, let us move on in peace. “Pray for peace, pray a lot for peace,” the pope said.
The Vatican has also tried to mediate in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but so far has not achieved much. The government of Ukraine is angry that Pope Francis is not taking sides over the Russian invasion. Last August, he also angered the Kiev government when he praised Russia’s imperialist past.
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