Newsletter
Newsletter Support JNS

Israeli president to meet Pope Leo at the Vatican

The one-day visit is being made at the invitation of the pontiff.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St. Peter's Basilica for the first time after the cardinals ended the conclave at the Vatican, May 8, 2025. Photo by Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time after the cardinals ended the conclave at the Vatican, May 8, 2025. Photo by Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog is scheduled to meet with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday, amid growing international opprobrium over the nearly two-year-old war against Hamas in Gaza.

The one-day visit is being made at the invitation of the pontiff, and will focus on the effort to secure the release of the nearly 50 hostages still being held in Gaza, the struggle against global antisemitism and the safeguarding of Christian communities in the Middle East, Herzog’s office said in a statement on Tuesday.

The president is also slated to meet with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, as well as tour the Vatican archives and library.

Herzog attended the first American pope’s inauguration in May.

Last week, the pope issued a strong appeal to end the war, and called for a permanent ceasefire, the release of the hostages and the distribution of humanitarian aid.

Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) is the fastest-growing news agency covering Israel and the Jewish world. We provide news briefs features opinions and analysis to 100 print newspapers and digital publications on a daily basis.
The film documents the circumstances of the small rural town of Gniewoszów, focusing on one of its last living survivors, along with a resident who says he saw Jews murdered there six months after the Nazis’ reign of terror ended.
The episodes will “reveal fascinating stories,” IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said.
“This week we are reminded that with true faith, eternal hope and the power of prayer, nothing can stop the people of God.”
Tehran was on the verge of having too many missiles and drones for its nuclear weapons program to be stopped, the U.S. secretary of state said.
“Their air and missile defense systems have largely been destroyed,” Adm. Brad Cooper stated.
During the Iran war, Qatar’s media networks have adopted narratives aligned with Iran while framing Israel and the U.S. negatively.