In the wake of the recent escalation of the Gaza conflict, Pope Francis has conveyed a heartfelt message, urging Israel and Palestine to seek a peaceful solution through negotiations. This approach has been broadly endorsed for many years but has yet to see significant progress despite international appeals.
Pope Francis emphatically endorsed a two-state solution, one for Israel and another for Palestine. He underscored that “every war is a defeat, and nothing is solved by war. Everything is gained with peace and dialogue.” The 86-year-old Pope shared these sentiments during an interview on the Italian television channel Rai.
He lamented that in times of conflict, one act of aggression only begets another, creating a vicious cycle. However, he emphasized that ultimately, it’s about “two people who must live together.” The Pope put forward a practical solution: “Two peoples, two states. The Oslo Accords have stipulated two well-defined states and a special status for Jerusalem.”
Pope Francis referred to the Oslo peace process, initiated in 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). Regrettably, progress has been slow, and there have been no significant developments for over two decades.
At the same time, the Pope expressed his unequivocal condemnation of all forms of anti-Semitism, emphasizing the importance of promoting peace and understanding in the region.
