Vatican

Ailing Pope Francis Meets With European Rabbis

Published NOV 7 2023

Story

Image credit: Franco Origlia/Getty Images

The Facts

Pope Francis, who hosted European rabbis in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace on Monday, has criticized the spread of antisemitic attacks worldwide and advocated for dialogue to build peace, in a clear reference to the Israel-Hamas war.
ap
The 86-year-old pontiff opted to forego delivering his speech at the start of the week, as he had "a cold" and faced "a long day of audiences." The decision set off a brief scare over his health.
FOX News
The pope, who appeared to be in good health mere hours later, presided over a meeting with at least 7K children from around the world in the Vatican's audience hall.
Reuters
Francis has had several hospitalizations in recent years, including a critical intestinal surgery. He often opts to use a cane or a wheelchair due to of knee problems and sciatica.
nytimes
This meeting comes a day after the Catholic leader renewed calls for a cease-fire in the Holy Land and the release of the more than 200 people who have been taken hostage during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
Vatican News
Francis also held a phone call with Iranian Pres. Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday to discuss the conflict. He has already urged the creation of humanitarian corridors to ease the situation in Gaza and expressed support for a two-state solution.
Tehran Times

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Establishment-critical narrative

Though the Biden admin. claims to be aligned with Pope Francis in relation to the Israel-Hamas war, they simply couldn't be more at odds. While the US is supporting Israel to perpetuate a humanitarian cataclysm in Gaza, the pontiff has insisted that war is no tool for building peace. Never-ending cycles of violence have long fueled violence in the Middle East, so it's time to address the root causes through dialogue.

National Catholic Reporter

Pro-establishment narrative

As the West diplomatically engages with leaders in the Middle East to prevent an escalation to a wider regional conflict, the Vatican is the best-positioned actor to persuade Tehran to exercise restraint amid growing concerns about the role of Iranian-backed militias in Lebanon and Syria in the war. The international community can only hope that Pope Francis succeeds in his spiritual and diplomatic efforts.