Israeli President Reuven Rivlin sent a letter to Pope Francis expressing best wishes and warm greetings on the upcoming Easter holiday, which will be celebrated on Sunday
TEL AVIV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd April, 2021) Israeli President Reuven Rivlin sent a letter to Pope Francis expressing best wishes and warm greetings on the upcoming Easter holiday, which will be celebrated on Sunday.
"From Jerusalem, the city of God, I send you my warm greetings for the holy days of Easter. Unfortunately, this is now the second year that we celebrate our holy days under the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic," Rivlin said in a letter to the pontiff.
The ongoing pandemic created conditions proving that the world borders are artificial, as the infection does not differentiate between nations and followers of different beliefs, the letter read.
"We are also cooperating with our neighbors in the region, the Palestinians and while we are emphasizing that our lives are shared together," Rivlin added.
The president also mentioned the so-called Abraham Accords that normalized Israel's ties with two Gulf nations, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, indicating that the agreements represent "a special opportunity for an era of peace, stability and cooperation to our region." Rivlin expressed hope that Palestine "would seize this unique opportunity as well."
In conclusion, the president, whose term ends this summer, said that he expects one more meeting with Pope Francis in this capacity in a bid to reaffirm his commitment "to the connections of Israel and the Holy See, to the freedom of religion in the holy land."
A historic agreement, officially known as the Abraham Accords, on the normalization of diplomatic ties between Israel and the two Gulf states the UAE and Bahrain was signed in Washington last September. The Palestinian Authority, in turn, met the rapprochement with harsh criticism.
To date, both Manama and Abu Dhabi have already appointed their ambassadors to Israel.
