Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican's secretary for relations with states and international organisations, has said that the Holy See will continue to firmly support a two-state solution in the Middle East.
Speaking to journalists in Rome, Gallagher addressed pressing diplomatic questions surrounding the region.
Questioned regarding the Vatican's steadfast advocacy for a two-state framework despite open opposition to the proposal voiced by certain Israeli opposition politicians during Israel's election campaign, Gallagher affirmed that the Holy See would continue to actively press for the establishment of two sovereign states.
Diplomatic backing
Gallagher remarked that Israel had been operating within an extended election campaign atmosphere, adding that it would be unrealistic to expect domestic opposition politicians to publicly endorse the initiative under current political dynamics.
He stressed that resistance from Israeli political figures does not mean the wider international community has abandoned support for the two-state framework, pointing out that the formula continues to retain substantial global backing, even whilst conceding that prevailing realities make its immediate implementation unlikely.
Gallagher underlined that achieving measurable improvements in living conditions across the occupied West Bank remains indispensable for any meaningful progress towards peace, stressing that acute crises in Gaza must also be addressed and resolved.
