Abbas also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, and Paul Richard Gallagher, who handles the Vatican’s diplomatic affairs. The discussions focused on the Church’s role in addressing the humanitarian crisis, calling for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a two-state solution achieved through dialogue and diplomacy, according to a Vatican statement.
The meeting follows a controversial photo of Pope Francis praying before a nativity scene at the Vatican, where the baby Jesus’s manger was draped in a keffiyeh scarf, a symbol of Palestinian resistance. The Israeli embassy to the Holy See expressed disapproval, requesting the scarf be removed, according to diplomatic and Vatican sources.
Francis has long called for peace since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israel’s subsequent offensive in Gaza. In recent weeks, he has sharpened his remarks against Israel’s military actions.
In November, he remarked that “the invader’s arrogance… prevails over dialogue” in Palestine, marking a departure from the Holy See’s historically neutral stance. Francis also suggested, in a forthcoming book, the need for a “careful” examination of whether the situation in Gaza constitutes genocide, a claim Israel has strongly rejected.
The Holy See recognized the State of Palestine in 2013 and maintains diplomatic relations, advocating for a two-state solution. Abbas is also set to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella in Rome.
