Pope Leo XIV met today at the Vatican with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the signing of official agreements between the Holy See and the State of Palestine, according to an official Vatican statement.
“During the conversation, both sides emphasized the urgent need to provide assistance to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip and to bring an end to the conflict, while reaffirming the commitment to pursuing a two-state solution,” the Vatican communiqué noted.
On the previous day, President Abbas visited the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, where he laid flowers on the tomb of Pope Francis.
“I came here to visit Pope Francis because I cannot forget what he did for Palestine and the Palestinian people. I cannot forget that he recognized Palestine without anyone having to ask him,” Abbas told reporters.
Source: ANA-MPA, Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
