▁invited ▁him ▁to ▁Israel . ▁Francis ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Israel ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁and ▁met ▁with ▁Per es ▁at ▁the ▁president ial ▁residence . ▁During ▁his ▁trip , ▁Francis ▁invited ▁both ▁Per es ▁and ▁Palest in ian ▁president ▁Mah m oud ▁Abb as ▁to ▁join ▁him ▁in ▁Rome ▁to ▁" p ray ▁for ▁peace ", ▁which ▁Per es ▁and ▁Abb as ▁did ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁After ▁leaving ▁the ▁presiden cy , ▁Per es ▁visited ▁Francis ▁again ▁in ▁Rome ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁and ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁Islam ▁Muslim ▁leaders ▁in ▁Buenos ▁Aires ▁wel com ed ▁the ▁news ▁of ▁Berg og lio ' s ▁election ▁as ▁po pe , ▁not ing ▁that ▁he ▁" always ▁showed ▁himself ▁as ▁a ▁friend ▁of ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁community ", ▁and ▁a ▁person ▁whose ▁position ▁is ▁" pro - dialog ue ". ▁They ▁pra ised ▁Berg og lio ' s ▁close ▁t ies ▁with ▁Muslim ▁groups ▁and ▁noted ▁his ▁comments ▁when ▁Pope ▁Bened ict ' s ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁Reg ens burg ▁lecture ▁was ▁interpreted ▁by ▁many ▁as ▁den igr ating ▁Islam . ▁According ▁to ▁them , ▁Berg og lio ▁immediately ▁dist anced ▁himself ▁from ▁Bened ict ' s ▁language ▁and ▁said ▁that ▁statements ▁which ▁prov oked ▁out rage ▁with ▁Muslim s ▁would ▁" serve ▁to ▁destroy ▁in ▁ 2 0 ▁seconds ▁the ▁careful ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁relationship ▁with ▁Islam ▁that ▁Pope ▁John ▁Paul ▁II ▁built ▁over ▁the