Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa has praised Jordan affirming that it stands as a model oasis of security, stability, harmony, and common living among all its components, and represents an outstanding beacon of peace in the world.

Cardinal Pizzaballa made these remarks during a reception held at the Zyadat family hall in Fuheis, attended by former prime ministers Abdullah Ensour, Samir Rifai, and Omar Razzaz, in addition to ambassadors of Italy, France, Qatar, and Algeria, Minister of Transport  Nidal Qatamin, Balqa Governor Faisal Al-Masaeed, a number of former ministers, members of parliament, Patriarchal Vicar for Jordan Bishop Iyad Twal, Latin and Greek Orthodox priests, Islamic clergy, in addition to a large gathering of local residents and guests.

Cardinal Pizzaballa said: "When I travel to various countries around the world, people tell me that your region is in a state of permanent war. I respond: Yes, particularly in the Holy Land, in Palestine, but there is an oasis of peace and harmony that offers genuine hope for the possibility of spreading peace throughout the region and the world, and that oasis is holy Jordan." He praised the wise leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II and the efforts exerted by the Hashemite family in safeguarding Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jordan and in Holy Jerusalem, amid the challenges and suffering the city encounters. Cardinal Pizzaballa also noted that he had visited Gaza three times even during the war, and that every time the priests and residents of the church expressed their gratitude to Jordan for its pioneering and courageous stands, as well as for the medical and humanitarian aid Jordan provides at the direction of His Majesty the King through field hospitals and other forms of Jordanian support for the Palestinian people.

At the gathering, which was hosted by the Zyadat clan, former Prime Minister Dr. Abdullah Ensour delivered an address during which he  affirmed that the solidarity between Muslims and Christians in Jordan embodies the most noble significance of common living and serves as a model to be emulated globally. He added that several countries have suffered divisions due to a lack of harmony, while Jordan continues to entrench a balanced approach based on love and mutual support, making it a school for promoting social cohesion while viewing religion as a force for peace rather than a source of conflict.

For its part, the Zyadat clan welcomed the grand patriarch of Jerusalem in an address delivered by Dr. Khalifa Na’im Zyadat during which he praised the role played by the patriarchs of Jerusalem in protecting and defending the Islamic and Christian holy sites, and in enhancing the Christian presence in the Holy Land  in compliance with the efforts led by the Hashemite leadership in Jordan, with His Majesty King Abdullah II consistently emphasizing the importance of preserving the Arab Islamic and Christian identity of Holy Jerusalem.

Dr. Zyadat also commended the pioneering role of Cardinal Pizzaballa in his capacity as a noble personality  who serves the Church in Jordan and Palestine, and for his clear moral stances on the war in Gaza, his assiduous efforts to entrench a culture of tolerance and to build bridges of love among followers of different faiths and churches, and for his active presence in international forums which consolidates the values of brotherhood and upholds human dignity.

At the end of the meeting, Mr. Na’im Zyadat presented Cardinal Pizzaballa with a rosary crafted in Jordan, while he reciprocated by gifting the Zyadat clan a symbolic present in the form of a Christmas star made from pearl from Bethlehem.