Times of Israel: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas held a private audience with Pope Francis on Thursday and met with top Vatican officials, who emphasized the importance of resuming peace talks with Israel.
Abbas, who has met the pontiff several times before, held talks with the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and de facto foreign minister Paul Gallagher on a trip to Rome that also included a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
The Vatican later said, “it was stressed that it is absolutely necessary to reactivate direct dialogue in order to achieve a two-state solution, also with the help of more vigorous effort on the part of the international community.”
The Israeli coalition led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has no shared position on ending the decades-long conflict, complicating any formal diplomatic negotiations. Read More …
Timeline:
January 12, 2017: With Donald Trump about to become president in 8 days, Pope Francis welcomes Mahmoud Abbas to the Vatican on the eve of the Paris peace talks …
Pope Francis’ agenda was to resurrect the two state solution:
Francis cozies up to Abbas and authorizes a Palestinian embassy in Rome:
- May 24, 2017 Donald Trump’s meeting with Francis was 30 minutes
- October 29, 2021 Joe Biden’s meeting with Francis was 75 minutes
If ever there was a contrived meeting under the cover of an international conference to promote the two state solution that Donald Trump buried, the Francis/Biden and Francis/ Abbas meetings take the cake.
“I will also gather all nations,
And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
And I will enter into judgment with them there
On account of My people, My heritage Israel,
Whom they have scattered among the nations;
They have also divided up My land.” Joel 3:2
