Pope Francis praises King Abdullah II: He is a man of peace and he is trying to make peace

The Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) in Jordan has welcomed His Holiness Pope Francis’ praise of His Majesty King Abdullah II.

During a press conference he held on board the papal plane returning to the Italian capital, Rome, from Singapore on Friday, Pope Francis said: “I am very, very grateful to the King of Jordan. He is a man of peace and he tries to make peace. King Abdullah is a good man.”

Answering a question about the tragic conditions witnessed in the Gaza Strip for more than 11 months, Pope Francis regretted the lack of concrete steps to end the war and achieve the long-awaited peace. He described the Israeli bombing of schools that house displaced persons on the assumption that there are fighters there as a bad thing, noting that he does not share the description of this war as defensive, in light of the images of the bodies of the child victims. He said: “I think this war is too excessive.”

The CCSM states that  Pope Francis' recent statements represent a continuation of the numerous calls expressed by His Holiness, as well as by the Holy See, to emphasize and affirm that war is always a defeat for humans and humanity, and that there is a need to take all necessary steps to achieve a durable and just solution to the Palestinian issue being the only alternative, as failing to achieve that implies the continuation of the cycle of violence and instability in the region.

In light of the bleak situation experienced at the afflicted Gaza Strip, the CCSM noted that Pope Francis brought a ray of light when he expressed his great gratitude for the relevant efforts exerted by His Majesty King Abdullah II, and the employment of such efforts in the service of the Palestinian brethren in the first place, through the humanitarian aid that arrives daily to the West Bank and Gaza Strip, by air and land, through the valiant members of the Jordan Armed Forces, the Arab Army.

In the second place through international forums, where His Majesty the King stresses that the region will never enjoy peace, security, stability, and prosperity unless the Palestinian issue is resolved in concomitant with fulfilling the aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state. This is a firm and clear Jordanian position to everyone. The Jordanian diplomacy, led by His Majesty King Abdullah II, is keen to highlight the suffering of the Palestinian people living under occupation, to form a global position condemning these violations, and to strive to keep the Palestinian cause at the top of the international community’s priorities.