Ambassador of Palestine to the Holy See, Issa Kassissieh, met with the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, on Wednesday. During the meeting, Kassissieh delivered a letter from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, expressing well wishes for Pope Francis’ recovery following his recent health setback.
The discussion focused on the deteriorating situation in Palestine, particularly the ongoing assault on Gaza and the escalation in the West Bank by the Israeli occupation government.
Archbishop Gallagher expressed the Vatican’s deep concern over the unfolding events in the occupied Palestinian territories, emphasizing the urgent need for international cooperation to halt the escalation. He reiterated the Holy See’s firm stance on upholding international law, rejecting forced displacement, and supporting efforts to restore meaningful negotiations based on United Nations resolutions. Gallagher recalled Pope Francis’s consistent opposition to war, describing war as a defeat for humanity. He also called for the immediate release of hostages, the lifting of the blockade on Gaza, and the unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid.
The meeting also addressed the mounting challenges facing the Palestinian Authority, particularly Israel’s systematic efforts to weaken it through land confiscation, settlement expansion, and policies that threaten the viability of a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders.
Additionally, the officials discussed Israel’s continued withholding of Palestinian tax revenues, which violates existing agreements and severely hampers the Palestinian government’s ability to implement vital development and humanitarian programs. Gallagher underscored the Catholic Church’s ongoing efforts to provide essential humanitarian aid, especially to Gaza.
As a member of the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs, Ambassador Kassissieh also presented a letter from Dr. Ramzi Khouri, head of the committee, to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State. The letter expressed Palestinian concerns regarding a document issued by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and urged the Vatican to stand firmly with justice and align with the positions of church leaders in the Holy Land.
Archbishop Gallagher reaffirmed the Vatican’s unwavering commitment to preserving the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem, protecting its unique identity, and ensuring freedom of worship and access to holy sites.
Ambassador Kassissieh also raised concerns about the systematic targeting of the Christian and Armenian quarters in Jerusalem’s Old City by colonial groups, as well as provocative visits by settlers to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. With Easter approaching, he expressed local church’s growing concerns over Israeli-imposed restrictions that disrupt religious ceremonies, particularly during Holy Week, calling for Vatican intervention to ensure worshippers can freely and peacefully practice their faith.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Archbishop Gallagher extended his best wishes for Eid al-Fitr, expressing hope that by the next holiday, peace would prevail over Palestine, the land of holiness.
