Vatican Doubles Down on Two-State Solution Despite Waning Faith
Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, made the remarks while taking questions from journalists at a foreign press association in Rome on a range of international issues.
Pressed on why the Vatican maintains its position when some Israeli opposition figures have rejected the idea during Israel’s election campaign, Gallagher said the Holy See would continue to press firmly for the creation of two states.
He said Israel has been caught in a prolonged campaign atmosphere, and that it would be unrealistic to expect opposition politicians to publicly endorse the proposal in such circumstances.
Gallagher stressed that resistance from some Israeli political figures does not signal that the international community has abandoned the two-state solution. The proposal, he added, still commands considerable international support. He conceded, however, that current circumstances make its implementation unlikely.
Progress toward a lasting settlement hinges on better conditions in the occupied West Bank, Gallagher said, while problems in the Gaza Strip must also be addressed and resolved.
Russia-Ukraine war
On the war in Ukraine, Gallagher said the Vatican does not see a role for itself in negotiating a ceasefire in Oleshky, in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine. This comes despite Pope Leo XIV having recently met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Vatican used the visit to share its views with both leaders, Gallagher said. Neither side wants the Holy See to serve directly as a mediator or facilitator, he noted, and both would rather it play a supporting role.
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