December 1, 2025 | 03:42 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Pope Leo XIV on Sunday emphasized the two-state solution as the only way to end the ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict, according to WAFA as reported by Al Jazeera.
Pope Leo XIV emphasized that any resolution must include the establishment of the Palestinian State, reaffirming the Vatican's position on the issue.
Speaking to the media during a flight from Turkey to Lebanon, the Pope said, "We know that in this moment, Israel doesn’t accept this solution, but we see it as the only one that can offer a solution to the conflict that they are living in."
The establishment of a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank, and Gaza has long been internationally viewed as the only way to resolve the conflict, which has been ongoing for decades.
"We are also friends with Israel, and we try with both sides to be a mediating voice that can help bring them closer to a solution with justice for all," said the American-born pope.
Unlike his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, Leo XIV avoided directly mentioning the Israeli genocide in Gaza during his visit to Turkey.
There has been no direct response from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu has long claimed that the formation of a Palestinian state would benefit the Palestinian group Hamas and ultimately lead to a larger state run by Hamas on Israel's border.
Earlier this month, Netanyahu stated that Israel's opposition to a Palestinian state "has not changed at all" and is not threatened by external or internal pressure. "I do not need affirmations, tweets or lectures from anyone," he said.
Anadolu reported that on November 6, Pope Leo XIV met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for the first time, where they discussed the urgent need for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and the importance of achieving a two-state solution to end the Israel-Palestine conflict.
"During the cordial talks, it was recognized that there is an urgent need to provide assistance to the civilian population in Gaza and to end the conflict by pursuing a two-State solution," according to a brief statement from the Holy See press office.
The meeting was held to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the signing of the "Comprehensive Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Palestine," the statement added.
The agreement, signed on June 26, 2015, reaffirms both parties' commitment to support the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and the implementation of a two-state solution.
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