“Sly talks”, the official press release of the Holy See defines them. “Warm welcome”, underlines the Israeli president. The second meeting between Leo XIV and the Israeli president Isaac Herzog, who had already had the opportunity to meet the Pope on May 18, on the occasion of the ceremony of settlement of the Movo Pontiff, took place in a stretched climate.
Herzog was the first to report the meeting with an X post in four languages (Hebrew, Arabic, English and Italian) already in the late morning.
“I am deeply grateful to Pope Leo XIV for the warm welcome received today in the Vatican,” writes Herzog (62 years old, in office since 2021). “First of all,” he continues, “Israel is working in every possible way to bring home the hostages held in brutal captivity by Hamas. Israel Anela to a day when the peoples of the Middle East – the children of Abraham – will live together in peace, collaboration and hope. All leaders of faith and goodwill must be united in asking for the immediate release of the hostages as the first and essential step towards a better future for the entire region. The state of Israel is committed to the religious freedom of all faiths and is determined to continue working for peace, tranquility and stability throughout the region. Israel is proud of his Christian community and undertakes to guarantee the security and well -being of Christian communities in the Holy Land and throughout the Middle East “.
The absence of any reference to the situation in Gaza stands out and a possible fire. Gaza is instead cited since the first lines in the Vatican press release, released in the middle of the afternoon.
“During the cordial interviews with the Holy Father and in the Secretariat of State”, we read, “the political and social situation of the Middle East has been addressed, where numerous conflicts persist, with particular attention to the tragic situation in Gaza. A prompt recovery of the negotiations has been hoped for so that, with availability and courageous decisions, as well as with the support of the international community, the liberation of all the hostages can be obtained, reacing a ceased-permanently, facilitating the safe entry of humanitarian aid into the most affected areas and guaranteeing full respect of humanitarian law, as well as the legitimate aspirations of the two peoples. There was a reference to what happens in the West Bank and the important question of the city of Jerusalem. In the continuation of the interviews, it was agreed on the historical value of the relations between the Holy See and Israel and some issues concerning the relationships between the state authorities and the local Church were also addressed, with particular attention to the importance of Christian communities and their commitment on site and throughout the Middle East, in favor of human and social development, especially in the sectors of education, the promotion of social cohesion and stability of the region “.
After the meeting with Pope Leone, Herzog had an interview with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state, accompanied by Monsignor Paul R. Gallagher Secretary for relations with international states and organizations.
