The Pope's Historic Visit and Sharp Declaration
Pope Leo XIV, during a flight from Turkey to Lebanon aimed at promoting interreligious dialogue and peace, referred to the creation and recognition of a Palestinian state as the only solution to the problem of the long-standing Palestinian-Israeli conflict, one of the world's most acute issues. This is his first foreign trip since his election in May and sends a powerful signal to the global community.
"We know that Israel is currently not accepting this decision, but we consider it the only remedy," emphasized Leo XIV. He also stated the Vatican's aspiration to be a just mediator between the two sides for a solution that will be fair to all of them.
The Vatican's Established Position
The Pope's statement is a logical continuation of the Vatican's previous policy. We recall that the Vatican officially recognized Palestine as a state in 2015, two years after Pope Francis took the throne. In practice, the Vatican has recognized Palestine as a state since 2013, when it gained observer status at the UN.
Netanyahu: "Shameful" and "Unacceptable"
Against this categorical position of the Pope, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly opposes. He considers the establishment of a Palestinian state an absolutely unacceptable solution and repeated this position at the UN General Assembly in September.
Netanyahu called the decision of countries that recognized Palestine a "shameful decision". He warned: "Giving the Palestinians a state one mile from Jerusalem after October 7 is the equivalent step of giving Al-Qaeda a state one mile from New York after September 11." Netanyahu said that such a decision encourages terrorism and cautioned everyone.
This diplomatic step by the Pope and the unchanging position of the Israeli leadership once again demonstrated how complex and contradictory the peace process in the Middle East is.
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