The only solution in the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people must include a Palestinian state, Pope Leo said on Sunday (30 November), reaffirming the Vatican's position.
"We all know that at this time Israel still does not accept that solution, but we see it as the only solution," Leo, the first U.S. pope, told journalists on a flight from Türkiye to Lebanon during his first in-flight press conference.
"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," added the pope, speaking in Italian.
The comments come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his opposition to a Palestinian state, even as the United States signals support for Palestinian independence.
Leo’s eight-minute press conference focused largely on his first overseas trip — a four-day visit to Türkiye, which he undertook from Thursday to Sunday after his election in May as leader of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church.
The pope said he discussed both the Israel-Palestinian conflict and the Ukraine-Russia conflict with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, noting that Türkiye has a significant role to play in efforts to end both wars.
During his visit, Leo warned that humanity’s future was at risk due to the unprecedented number of violent conflicts worldwide, and condemned any use of religion to justify bloodshed.
Leo, who normally adopts careful diplomatic language, has sharpened his criticism this year of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Türkiye is a predominantly Muslim country but is also home to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual leader of the world’s 260 million Orthodox Christians. Leo praised the country as an example of peaceful religious coexistence.
“People of different religions are able to live in peace,” the pope said.
“That is one example of what I think we all would be looking for throughout the world.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not think he will need China's help to end the war with Iran as he le...
A new trilateral energy partnership involving Uzbekneftegaz, Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR and BP has been announced during Uzbekistan...
The Spanish government has issued a defiant message to Silicon Valley, confirming it...
Türkiye has completed formal preparations to begin direct commercial activity w...
After Labour's devastating performance in the 8 May local elections, the party's internal architecture has...
A new trilateral energy partnership involving Uzbekneftegaz, Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR and BP has been announced during Uzbekistan Energy Week 2026 in Tashkent.
The Spanish government has issued a defiant message to Silicon Valley, confirming it will push ahead with stringent new legislation designed to make social networks and Artificial Intelligence (AI) demonstrably safer.
Türkiye has completed formal preparations to begin direct commercial activity with Armenia, a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Wednesday, marking another step in the slow but steady normalisation of ties between the two neighbours.
The Eurovision Song Contest opened in Vienna on Tuesday amid heightened political tensions, as Israel competed in the first semi-final despite a boycott by five European broadcasters over the war in Gaza.
Kuwait arrested four members of an IRGC-linked group as they tried to enter the country by sea, the Gulf state's KUNA news agency reported on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a senior IRGC officer said Iran had expanded its definition of the Strait of Hormuz to include a far wider area.
Biological samples from an Italian man were transferred to a specialist hospital for testing on Tuesday, after he was suspected of contracting hantavirus. Meanwhile, World Health Organization boss Tedros Ghebreyesus said there were “no sign” of a larger outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise.
Exclusive flight-tracking material obtained by AnewZ has raised new questions about French military aircraft movements linked to President Emmanuel Macron’s recent diplomacy with Armenia and the wider scope of France’s defence cooperation with Yerevan.
Just one week after a similar move by Australia, Greece announced that it will ban access to social media for children under the age of 15 from January 1, 2027, as governments around the world weigh tougher rules amid growing concerns over mental health, safety and screen addiction.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not think he will need China's help to end the war with Iran as he left for a high-stakes summit in Beijing on Tuesday, as hopes for a lasting peace deal dwindled and Tehran tightened its grip over the Strait of Hormuz.
Deep in the ancient forests of southern China, researchers have discovered a small, shy snake with an extraordinary survival trick: when threatened, it creates the illusion that it has two heads.
After Labour's devastating performance in the 8 May local elections, the party's internal architecture has cracked open with remarkable speed.
When Donald Trump boarded Air Force One for Beijing on Tuesday, he brought two cabinet members whose presence in China would have seemed unlikely a year ago, highlighting an unusual moment in U.S.–China relations.
Britain will introduce new legislation aimed at strengthening ties with the European Union as Prime Minister Keir Starmer seeks to rebuild economic relations with the bloc while facing growing political pressure at home.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s three-day summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, beginning on Wednesday (13 May), comes as rivalry between the two superpowers reaches new heights, a China analyst has said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment