Daoud Kuttab

Dr. Varsen Agabakian, Palestinian State Minister for Foreign Affairs, paid an emotional tribute to Pope Francis, describing him as a global symbol of justice and a steadfast supporter of the Palestinian people during their most difficult times.

“In such a difficult and unprecedented time, filled with hardships and massacres facing the Palestinians in Palestine, we lost one of the great iconic figures to our nation,” said Dr. Agabakian. “Pope Francis was truly committed to the case of justice worldwide.”

She recalled the Pope’s 2015 visit to Bethlehem as a moment of deep significance for Palestinians. “In Palestine, we were privileged and honoured by his visit to Bethlehem in 2015 and deeply touched by his prayers for justice and peace in the Holy Land while standing by the apartheid wall, surrounding occupied Jerusalem,” she said.

Amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Dr. Agabakian praised Pope Francis for offering one of the few beacons of hope through his unwavering moral stance. “During the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the Pope presented one of the few true hopes of justice, through his consistent calls for ceasefire and through his daily phone calls to the Christian Gazans who have been displaced in the only remaining church in Gaza after the Israeli indiscriminate shelling of various spiritual sites, that destroyed Gaza’s historical and spiritual landmarks,” she said.

“These daily calls will always be remembered as the light of truth in the middle of the severe darkness,” she added.

“Palestine sincerely says: Thank you to the Pope of genuine justice. Your voice will be sorely missed,” Dr. Agabakian concluded.