King of Jordan receives faith leaders from Jerusalem with Palestinian president

Source: Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem

His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan received a delegation of representatives from the Jerusalem Awqaf, church leaders, several Jerusalemites, as well as the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at Al Husseiniya Palace on Tuesday, 11 March.

During the meeting, the speakers voiced their gratitude for Jordan's essential role, under His Majesty the King's leadership, in backing the Palestinian people and enhancing their steadfastness in their sacred homeland.

On behalf of His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Mgr William Shomali, General Vicar, participated in the meeting. He conveyed his deep gratitude to His Majesty the King for his protection of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and his continuous support for the Palestinian people.

Mgr Shomali also reaffirmed the Catholic Church's rejection of any interpretation that seeks to claim the land of Palestine for the Jewish people based on the Torah, as promoted by Christian Zionism in the United States. He emphasized that the message of the Torah is about defending the oppressed and the poor and establishing justice and peace. He also praised the King's support for Palestinian students, noting that the number of registrants on the "WISE" online platform-launched by the World Islamic Sciences and Education University under royal directives-has exceeded one million students, including half a million in Gaza.

He reiterated that Palestine is not merely a piece of land but an irreplaceable homeland for its indigenous people.

The meeting concluded with an Iftar banquet hosted by His Majesty the King in honor of the attendees. Among those present was Mgr Iyad Twal, the Patriarchal Vicar in Jordan.