American Pope: Silence on Israel and Refusal to Travel to South Lebanon

TEHRAN (Defapress) - During his visit to Beirut, as his second destination after Ankara, Pope Leo, the leader of the world's Catholics, called on Lebanese political leaders to make peace their highest priority.

The first American Pope arrived in Beirut after a four-day visit to Turkey. In Turkey, he had said: "The future of humanity is at risk due to the extraordinary spread of bloody conflicts. I condemn violence in the name of religion."

In the hall of the Presidential Palace, which was filled with politicians and religious leaders from different Lebanese sects, Leo began his speech with a famous saying from Jesus Christ (PBUH): “Blessed are the peacemakers.” The ceremony was attended by President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and other leaders of the country.

The world’s Catholic leader used the word “peace” more than 20 times in his speech, saying: “Lebanon must now persevere despite the very complex, controversial, and uncertain conditions in the region until peace is achieved. Building peace requires perseverance. Commitment and love for peace never fail.”

He called on the Lebanese people to take the path of “reconciliation” and advised the country’s leaders to serve the people with commitment and sacrifice. However, the American pope avoided mentioning Israel by name in his speech.

Lebanon experienced a civil war between 1975 and 1990 and has not gone through a process of national reconciliation since then. Last year’s war between Israel and Hezbollah has deepened identity gaps in Lebanon. Shortly after the visit, Israel killed Hezbollah’s number two, Haitham Ali Hashem, in a terrorist attack in Dahiyeh.

“There is a lot of suffering in our country and in our region, and many people are in pain,” Joseph Aoun said at the ceremony. “Lebanon is a country where Christians and Muslims live side by side, differently but equally.”

Hours before Leo arrived, a large crowd gathered on the road from the airport to the presidential palace, waving Lebanese and Vatican flags.

Lebanon, which has the largest Christian population in the Middle East, is grappling with the aftermath of the genocide in Gaza, a war that led to a devastating Israeli offensive in Beirut and southern Lebanon.

Lebanese leaders, who are home to a million Syrian and Palestinian refugees and are grappling with a long-term economic crisis, fear an increase in Israeli attacks in the coming months.

The secretary-general of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, had expressed hope that Leo’s visit would help end the Israeli attacks. Mohammed Raad, Hezbollah’s most senior representative in the Lebanese parliament, was present at Leo’s speech.

Leo, who was a relatively unknown figure on the world stage before he was elected pope in May, is now under scrutiny for his first foreign speeches and his first interaction with a population outside Italy, which is largely Catholic.