Pope Leo XIV has issued his strongest appeal yet for international recognition of a Palestinian state, saying a two-state solution remains the only viable route to “justice for all” in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
Speaking to reporters aboard his flight from Türkiye to Lebanon, the pontiff acknowledged Israel’s current rejection of the proposal but insisted the Vatican— which formally recognised Palestine in 2015—would continue acting as a “mediating voice.”
Leo confirmed he discussed both the Gaza war and the Ukraine conflict during private talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, praising Türkiye’s “important role” in promoting negotiations. He expressed hope that Erdogan’s ties with Washington, Moscow and Kyiv could help advance ceasefire efforts and revive stalled peace initiatives.
Reaffirming the Vatican’s longstanding stance on Gaza, the Pope warned that without a recognised Palestinian state, decades of instability would continue. His comments come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Israel’s opposition to Palestinian statehood “has not changed one bit.”
Meanwhile, conditions in Gaza remain catastrophic despite a US-brokered October 10 truce, with Israeli strikes ongoing and humanitarian aid struggling to reach civilians, according to UN agencies and regional mediators.
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