Hezbollah welcomes Pope to Lebanon, omits Judaism as ‘Abrahamic faith’

Hezbollah’s statement cited: ‘the two Abrahamic faiths, Christianity and Islam,’ omitting Judaism, the first Abrahamic tradition.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Hezbollah used a message welcoming Pope Leo XIV to Lebanon to issue an extended denunciation of Israel, signaling that the group plans to center its political messaging around the conflict as the pontiff’s visit approaches.

The statement was released ahead of the pope’s expected arrival on Sunday, following the conclusion of his trip to Turkey.

In the document, Hezbollah attempted to frame Lebanon as a meeting point for major faith traditions, claiming “Lebanon, with its diverse composition, represents a civilizational link between the followers of the two Abrahamic faiths, Christianity and Islam, and between the followers of religious, cultural, and secular trends in every country and continent of the world.”

The statement avoided any reference to the near-disappearance of Lebanon’s Jewish community, which now numbers only about one hundred people who practice discreetly in Beirut.

The group then shifted its message to global tensions, asserting that “the conflicts the world is witnessing today stem, at their root, from the refusal of some to acknowledge or respect the rights of others, whether due to differences in religion, color, race, language, or other factors.” Hezbollah’s declaration came despite its own record of targeting Lebanese Christians, including the assassination of Elias Hasrouni in 2023 and the abduction and killing of Pascal Sleiman the following year.

Hezbollah framed its criticism of Israel through the current fighting in Gaza, claiming it reflects a deterioration of human rights protections worldwide.

It described recent events as “a tragedy resulting from the Zionist occupiers’ persistence in usurping the rights of the Palestinian people to their land, their homeland, and their right to self-determination,” and accused the international community of sidelining “the rightful owners of the land and homeland.”

The statement also portrayed Lebanon as a victim of ongoing pressure, alleging that Israeli actions are harming security and stability and driven by a desire “to control their water, land, and gas wealth.”

It escalated by calling Israel’s actions “a clear act of genocide” in Gaza and “a blatant and unacceptable aggression” in Lebanon.

As the pope prepares to arrive, Hezbollah concluded by emphasizing what it called its commitment to internal coexistence, asserting a “legitimate right to reject foreign interference” and a continued stance against what it described as occupation or external control.