Issa Qassisieh: The constitution of every supreme pontiff who ascends the papal throne as head of the Catholic Church is the Holy Bible and the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. Father Ibrahim Faltas: The new pope will follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope Francis, and will pay attention to the Palestinian cause. Bishop

Atallah Hanna: "We pray for the new Pope and wish him success. We hope that His Holiness will pay special attention to Palestine and wounded Gaza." Hania Bitar: "As a Palestinian people, we hope that Pope Leo XIV will have more courage than Pope Francis when speaking about the suffering of the Palestinian people."

Wadih Abu Nassar: I believe that the fact that the new Pope is American does not necessarily mean that he will follow the political line of the United States. Rather, it may mean the opposite.

David Kitab: There are clear indications in the selection of cardinals from among the poor in Peru to lead the Catholic Church.

The different model presented by the late Pope Francis, especially regarding the issues of the marginalized, the poor and the oppressed, and his bold stance on the injustice of the Palestinian people, which he expressed during his first visit to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, and his prayers for peace in front of the apartheid wall, and during the war of extermination waged by Israel in the Gaza Strip, made the eyes of the Palestinian people turn to the new Supreme Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, and to exploit his lofty religious status to pressure the international community and the Western world to pressure the occupying state to stop its open massacre and the war of extermination it has been waging for nearly twenty months, causing heavy human losses and horrific destruction in the Gaza Strip.

Diplomats, clerics, and writers who spoke to Al-Quds confirmed that the new pope will follow the path of his predecessor, Pope Francis, and will prioritize the Palestinian cause. They noted that the constitution of every pontiff who ascends the papacy as head of the Catholic Church is the Holy Bible and the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.

They said: "As a Palestinian people and as Christians, we hope that Pope Leo XIV will have more courage than Pope Francis when speaking about the suffering of the Palestinian people." They noted the clear significance of the cardinals' selection of someone who worked among the poor in Peru to lead the Catholic Church.

They added: The fact that the new Pope is American does not necessarily mean that he will follow the political line of the United States. Rather, it may mean the opposite. Every new Pope has his own independent personality. Ambassador Issa Kassissieh, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Vatican, said: “Every new Pope who ascends the Holy See has his own independent personality, bringing his own touches and therefore differing from his predecessors. He heads the Vatican State and manages its affairs, directing the team he personally selects, according to his own style, whether in international affairs or in bilateral and multilateral relations on the one hand, or in internal affairs on the other.”

He added, "Pope Francis has prioritized his relations with the Arab and Islamic world and deepened Islamic-Christian dialogue, and his visits to Arab and Islamic capitals are a testament to that. He signed the 'Document of Fraternity' with Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb." He noted that during his papacy, he met with President Mahmoud Abbas more than seven times on various occasions, and, most importantly, he was the one who recognized Palestine as an independent state.

Qassisieh believes that His Holiness the new Pope, Leo XIV, will continue in the footsteps of the late Pope Francis in building bridges and deepening dialogue, as stated in his election speech from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. We are hopeful that His Holiness will pay attention to the Palestinian cause, listening to the pain and suffering of our people. Our people in Gaza were the first to address him, appealing to him to end their ordeal and suffering.

Implications of the rapid election of the Pope

On the other hand, Qassisieh pointed out that the constitution of every Supreme Pontiff who ascends the papal throne as head of the Catholic Church is the Holy Bible and the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, just as Saint Peter, the leader of the apostles, did since the beginning of the Church.

He added: "With regard to ecclesiastical affairs, I believe that His Holiness will address the challenges facing the Church as a whole on several levels, in accordance with the Church's faith and teachings."

Ambassador Qassisieh explained that his swift election by the cardinals, in his view, confirms the consensus among the various factions within the Church to advance its standing and address doctrinal, social, and other challenges with a unified and consensual stance.

He continued, "I was present in St. Peter's Square when the white smoke came out and the moment he came out to present himself to the world.

I believe his first appearance from the balcony offered us many connotations and meanings. My attention was immediately drawn to Leo XIV, who appeared in public wearing the usual vestments of a pontiff, according to papal tradition. This contrasts with what the late Pope Francis did twelve years earlier, in 2013, when he appeared wearing only the white cassock. Instead, the new Pope wore, over the white cassock, the red sash and the red papal vestment with the Holy See emblem, thus emphasizing his adherence to protocol and church tradition.

He also chose, upon his first appearance yesterday, to deliver a speech that served as a roadmap for his papacy. Qassisieh noted that some say the new Pope took this name in honor of Pope Leo XIII, who is famous for his social encyclical (Rerum Novarum), issued on May 16, 1891, which was considered an important document through which he defended the rights of the working class, which at the time suffered from much exploitation and challenges. However, Qassisieh pointed out that His Holiness's name was not widely circulated in the corridors of the Vatican or in the media, and his election came as a surprise to all observers. He emphasized that his election with such speed demonstrated the extent of the cardinals' awareness and keenness to fill the vacancy in the Peter's Chair and to renew the spirit of the Church on the rock of St. Peter.

An open-minded and eloquent man. For his part, Father Ibrahim Faltas, Vicar of the Custos of the Holy Land, said that the new pope will follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope Francis. He noted that his first speech focused on peace and the necessity of achieving it, reflecting his closeness to Pope Francis and his understanding of his goals and orientations. Faltas expressed his hope that the election of the new pope would be a rich addition to the Church, describing him as an open-minded and eloquent man, and affirming that the entire world looks to him with optimism and hope.

The Deputy Custos of the Holy Land confirmed that the new Pope will pay attention to the Palestinian issue, stressing that there is no Pope who has not cared about Palestine, Jerusalem, and the Holy Land. He explained that these issues reside in the heart of every Pope, because they realize that Christianity began from this land, and they know that peace in the world begins in Jerusalem. He cited the words of Pope John Paul II: “Without peace in Jerusalem, there will be no peace in the world.” Regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip, Faltz indicated that the Church is deeply concerned and pained by what is happening there. Faltz expressed his hope that there will be action soon by the Pope regarding Gaza, noting that the new Pope is fully aware of what is happening and will certainly

He will soon speak about Gaza, Jerusalem, and the Holy Land.

A clear position and a bold voice are required to stop the war of extermination.

In turn, Archbishop Atallah Hanna, Archbishop of Sebastia for the Greek Orthodox, congratulated the Catholic Church on the occasion of the election of His Holiness the new Pope, wishing him success in carrying out his spiritual, ecclesiastical, faith-based and humanitarian mission, especially with regard to the voice of the Church, which must be a strong voice calling for justice, freedom and an end to wars and armed conflicts everywhere in this world, especially in Palestine, the Holy Land.

The land of birth, incarnation and redemption.

Archbishop Hanna called for a clear stance and a bold voice from His Holiness to stop the war of extermination being waged against our people in the Gaza Strip. He said, "There must be a clear voice on this issue from all spiritual, legal, and humanitarian authorities in the world."

He added, "We hope that the new Pope will follow the positions taken by Pope Francis, who called for an end to the war, and who was always calling to check on our people in Gaza."

Bishop Hanna affirmed: "We pray for the new Pope, and we wish him success in carrying out his mission and duties in these difficult times and circumstances that are witnessing many complexities in this world. We hope that His Holiness will pay special attention to Palestine, and especially to wounded Gaza.

The new pope is not in agreement with Trump's policies.

For her part, Jerusalemite activist Hania Bitar said that the new Pope, Leo XIV, is not in harmony with Trump's policies or with American policies in general, despite being born in Chicago.

She added: "Even before his election as Pope, Cardinal Leo expressed his opposition to the policy of preventing immigration and the inhumane treatment of immigrants to America. He clearly stated that the person seeking immigration or asylum is a gift that must be cared for, compensated for deprivation, and have the right to life."

Bitar continued, "The new pope strongly believes that a true Christian should love and care for all people in the world, not just white conservatives. Here we ask: How will Trump react to a pope who embraces positions that are completely contrary to his own policies and interests?"

She noted that Pope Leo XIII, who served as pope from 1878 to 1903, was known for his consistent defense of social justice and workers' rights. Today, Pope Leo XIV is reviving this legacy, as, even before his enthronement, he advocated for human rights everywhere and believed that Christians must love people everywhere.

She explained that most of the new Pope's church service was in Peru, a country known for its poverty and simplicity. He lived among the common people and was an integral part of a society that embodied the values of giving and serving the poor before the rich.

The influence of extremist Zionist Christian churches

Bitar continued: "We unfortunately recall some of the empty appearances that characterized previous periods. We saw popes who treated their positions as if they were kings, living in luxury and extravagance, wearing the finest shoes, and behaving with a grandeur that did not reflect the spirit of Christianity. All of this is unacceptable in true Christian teaching."

She added, "Pope Francis, may God have mercy on him, was among the first to abandon these false appearances and direct the Church's resources to serve the poor. Today, Pope Leo XIV is following in Pope Francis's footsteps, believing that his presence in this position is not for show, but rather to serve the poor and marginalized."

She added: "We, as a Palestinian people, hope that he will have more courage than Pope Francis when it comes to speaking about the suffering of the Palestinian people, the torment, the genocide, and everything that this people is facing."

She said: "We, as Christians in the Middle East, suffer from the influence of extremist, pro-Israel Christian Zionist churches, which unfortunately no one is stopping. Israel strives to please them and directs funding towards them, while these churches are completely oblivious to reality."

Bitar added: "Two or three weeks ago, a heated debate took place in the Israeli Knesset over a bill proposed by some members, which stipulates that anyone who speaks about the Christian religion with any Israeli shall be punished with a year in prison, and if the conversation is with a minor under the age of 18, with a two-year prison sentence."

Bitar concluded her remarks by saying, "We hope that these Zionist churches will wake up and see what is actually happening, not only in the genocide of our people, but even in Israel's so-called democracy. We hope that the new pope will have the courage to confront this injustice with love and wisdom."

The Pope was elected within a relatively short period of time.

Wadih Abu Nassar, coordinator of the Holy Land Christian Forum, said: “First of all, as Christians and as Palestinian Christians, we are very pleased with the election of a new pope. We are also happy that the Church elected a pope in a relatively short period of time. This indicates a consensus among the majority of cardinals. As you know, a pope is not elected until he receives at least two-thirds of the votes, and this makes us happy.”

He added: "I am also pleased with the diversity in the Church. Contrary to some speculations that the next pope would be European or from a specific region, today we see this diversity. What also pleases me is that Pope Leo XIV spent part of his life in Peru, among the poor and marginalized, and that he chose for himself a clear motto consisting of two words: hope and reconciliation.

This is extremely important, as we live in a world plagued by crises and wars, yet we still have hope and expectation, and we hope that it will build bridges with all people, in the spirit of reconciliation and love that must prevail over all other considerations.”

Abu Nassar continued: “We have previous experience with Pope Francis, who was Argentine. Although the current Argentine president—whom some consider to be of the Trump school, or perhaps even worse—is characterized by extremism that can be described as madness, Pope Francis did not agree with his policies and did not take any supportive stance on international issues. Therefore, I believe that the fact that the new pope is American does not necessarily mean that he will follow the political line of the United States. Rather, it may mean the opposite, that he will challenge this path on several issues. I understood that even when he was a cardinal, he expressed critical positions towards the American administration on more than one issue.” Regarding the pope’s name,

Abu Nassar explained that "the name Leo was not used in the last century. The last person to bear this name was Pope Leo XIII, who began his papacy in the late nineteenth century and died in the early twentieth century.

I believe the choice of the name Leo is a reference to Leo the Great, the pope who lived in the late fourth century AD and was known for building bridges, both with the emperor and with Attila, the Hun leader who attacked Rome. He confronted the invasion with love and firmness, without resorting to weapons, but rather with dialogue and clarity. I believe this is the vision of the new pope, through his choice of this name.

The Pope does not nominate his successor.

Asked whether the former Pope had nominated his successor, Abu Nassar said, "I don't think so. First, there is nothing in church tradition that indicates that the Pope nominates a successor. The Pope does not direct the cardinals to choose a specific person, and even a small leak in that direction would have been a major scandal. But there is no doubt that the cardinal's closeness to Pope Francis, his previous service in Peru among the poor, and his position as head of the Congregation for Bishops, which appoints the world's most senior clergy, are all factors that contributed to his high esteem among his fellow cardinals. His gentle personality, charisma, and fluency in several languages all contributed to his standing."

At the end of his remarks, Abu Nassar pointed to developments within the Church, saying, "In recent years, we have seen remarkable progress. For example, the election of a pope no longer takes days; this time, it took place in just 24 hours, which is an indication of consensus."

Cardinals have also become more familiar thanks to social media and frequent meetings in Rome. In the past, cardinals didn't know each other well, but today they access social media already familiar with their colleagues, which speeds up the election process and enhances mutual understanding.

Principles of peace, love and communication

In turn, Jerusalemite journalist Daoud Kitab said: "There are clear indications in the selection of cardinals from among the poor in Peru to lead the Catholic Church, which has more than one and a half billion members worldwide."

He added: In his first public statement after his election, Pope Leo XIV opened his speech in Latin, using a phrase familiar to us in the East: “Peace be with you all.” The new pontiff repeated the term “peace” nine times, including his statement that the Church must work for peace and justice.

The book continued: He also focused on the principle of love and unity, repeating a phrase made famous by Pope Francis after stopping in front of the concrete wall built by Israel in the city of the Nativity, Bethlehem, where he said that it is necessary to build bridges, not walls. Pope Leo repeated the phrase "building bridges" twice in his brief speech.

In the footsteps of Pope Francis

The book continued: We are in the presence of a Catholic spiritual leader who will follow the path of Pope Francis, and because of his age (69 years), he will be more active and will visit different regions (we hope that Palestine and Gaza in particular will be among them) of the world to implement what was stated in his speech about peace, building bridges, and unity.

He said: According to the analysis of colleague Wadih Abu Nassar, a specialist in Catholic affairs, the choice of the name Leo, for the first time in more than a century, goes back to Pope Leo the Great, who combined unity, courage, and a spirit of love. It is also known that Leo XIII was a supporter of the poor and workers and supported their right to organize themselves in independent unions.

The book concluded by saying: "We hope that Pope Leo will continue in the footsteps of his predecessor in supporting a just peace based on the right to life and respect for humanity."