Middle Eastern leaders and Arab movements praised Pope Francis, who died on Monday, for criticizing Israel's offensive on Gaza, his calls for a ceasefire and his commitment to interfaith dialogue.
"We lost a faithful friend of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights," Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said, according to the official Wafa news agency.
He noted that Francis "recognized the Palestinian state and authorized the Palestinian flag to be raised in the Vatican".
Bassem Naim, a senior official from Islamist militant group Hamas which runs the Gaza Strip, hailed the pope's opposition to the 18-month-long war between Israel and Hamas.
"Pope Francis was a steadfast advocate for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, particularly in his unwavering stance against the war and acts of genocide perpetrated against our people in Gaza in recent months," Naim said in a statement.
Francis spoke of the Gaza war a day before he died, saying that a "growing climate of anti-Semitism around the world is worrisome" while condemning the "deplorable humanitarian situation" in Gaza and reiterating his call for a ceasefire.
Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Francis's "voice in condemning Israeli brutality was loud and clear until the very last moment".
His "compass on the Palestinian issue always pointed in the right direction", Aboul Gheit added, recalling "his daily communication with the residents of Gaza as they endured brutal Israeli aggression and bombardment".
Built 'bridges'
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian praised Francis's "condemnation of the genocide committed by the Israeli regime in Gaza".
Iran does not recognize Israel and has made support for the Palestinian cause a central tenet of its foreign policy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group, which initiated cross-border hostilities with Israel over the Gaza war, noted Francis's "clear positions calling for an end to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip... and his support for the Palestinian cause".
Egypt's Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's prestigious seat of learning, said Francis would be remembered for championing interfaith dialogue.
Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb said his "brother" had "strengthened relations with Al-Azhar and the Islamic world, through his visits to numerous Islamic and Arab countries, and through his views demonstrating fairness and humanity, particularly regarding the aggression on Gaza and combating abhorrent Islamophobia".
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Francis "worked tirelessly to promote tolerance and build bridges of dialogue... and was a champion of the Palestinian cause, defending legitimate rights and calling for an end to conflict".
King Abdullah II of Jordan said in a statement that Francis "brought people together, leading with kindness, humility, and compassion".
Morocco's King Mohammed VI paid tribute to Francis's dedication to "peace, dialogue, tolerance" and religious coexistence.
Lebanon's Christian President Joseph Aoun called Francis's death "a loss for all humanity, for he was a powerful voice for justice and peace" who called for "dialogue between religions and cultures".
The multi-confessional country announced three days of official mourning.
With AFP
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