Pope Leo has restated the Vatican’s longstanding stance that a Palestinian state is the “only” viable solution to the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people.
The Pontiff told journalists on a flight from Turkey to Lebanon that “we all know that at this time Israel still does not accept that solution, but we see it as the only solution.”
He said the Vatican will add a mediating voice between both sides, adding that “we are also friends with Israel and we are seeking to be a mediating voice between the two parties that might help them close in on a solution with justice for everyone.”
Leo’s comments come even as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to reject the creation of a Palestinian state, even as the United States, Israel’s strongest ally, signals support for Palestinian independence.
Pope Leo made the comments in his first ever international trip and first in-flight press conference.
His encounter with journalists lasted eight minutes largely focusing on his four-day visit to Turkey.
He said he and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed both the Israel-Palestine and Ukraine-Russia conflicts, adding that Turkey has an important role to play in helping to end both wars.
He said the world’s growing number of violent conflicts was threatening the future of humanity and he condemned any form of violence carried out in the name of religion.
The pope has been a critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, breaking from his typically cautious diplomatic language.
Turkey is a predominantly Muslim nation that also hosts Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the world’s 260 million Orthodox Christians.
Pope Leo commended Turkey, describing it as a model of peaceful religious coexistence, saying, “people of different religions are able to live in peace. That is one example of what I think we all would be looking for throughout the world.”
