Rome – The Vatican signed a treaty with the “State of Palestine” on Friday, saying it hoped its legal recognition of the state would help stimulate peace with Israel and that the treaty itself would serve as a model for other Mideast countries.
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Vatican Foreign Minister Paul Gallagher and his Palestinian counterpart, Riad al-Malki, signed the treaty at a ceremony inside the Vatican.
Israel expressed disappointment when the Vatican announced last month that it had reached final agreement with the “State of Palestine” on the treaty regulating the life of the Catholic Church in the Palestinian territories.
It repeated that regret in a Foreign Ministry statement Friday, saying the move hurt peace prospects and would discourage the Palestinians from returning to direct negotiations. It warned that it would study the agreement “and its implications for future cooperation between Israel and the Vatican.”
Gallagher, though, said he hoped the Vatican’s recognition “may in some way be a stimulus to bringing a definitive end to the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which continues to cause suffering for both parties.”
He said that he hoped the treaty could serve as a model for the church in other Mideast countries, where Christians are a minority and often persecuted.
The Vatican had welcomed the decision by the U.N. General Assembly in 2012 to recognize a Palestinian state and had referred to the Palestine state since. But the treaty marked its first legal recognition of the Palestinian territory as a state.
Al-Malki called the treaty an “historic agreement” and said it marked “a recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, freedom and dignity in an independent state of their own, free from the shackles of occupation.”
The United States and Israel oppose recognizing the Palestinian state, arguing that it undermines U.S.-led efforts to negotiate an Israeli-Palestinian deal on the terms of Palestinian statehood. Most countries in Western Europe have held off on recognition, but some have hinted that their position could change if peace efforts remain deadlocked.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon called the treaty itself one-sided, saying the text ignored “the historic rights of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel and to the places holy to Judaism in Jerusalem.”
“would help stimulate peace with Israel” – Nothing is further from the truth. This will only strengthen the Palestinian position against Israel in not conceding anything for land or peace. The symbol in their charter is still the whole land of Israel – they want it all for themselves.
As such, this is another strong sign that the Pope is an anti-semite. Off course he tries to show he is not, and he does some things that show he is friendly – because otherwise it wouldn’t be acceptable. But other actions, as the one above, show he is strongly anti-semite.
How can you grant this treaty of recognition when the Palestinians are trying to cause the world to Boycott Israel? When the treaty includes Gaza, which has its goal to destroy Israel? When Abbas said that no Jews will be allowed in their land?
Another Pope Pius
E’Y should break all diplomatic relations with the Vatican, it’s not a state, it’s a religious organization (in fact the relations are not with “the Vatican, which is a hill in Rome, relations are with a thing called the “Holy See” which means “holy chair.” Does E’Y maintain diplomatic relations with furniture department at Macys? Of course not.
that is what happens when you try to cater to the vatican!!
this pope like all popes are jew haters ,repeat after me , eisuv soineh as yakov , no matter how he preaches
#7 get your facts straight. Diplomatic relations are with the “Holy See,” there may be something called the Vatican City State, but diplomatic relations are NOT with it. Vatican is also one of the seven hills of Rome.
Sounds like anti-semites advisng the Pope. He should think before he acts.
What state of “Palestine”? What year are we in?
You know we always accused the church of ignoring the Holocaust – it ignores the Christians, and other people from being killed by Hamas, Isis, etc – it’s nice to live in your ‘lily white world’ –
It would be progressive to sign a treaty with ISIS. That way….well you know.
The pope thinks that his move will help his people in those lands ,however his people are fleeing from their countries as fast as possible as the muslims see them as nonbelievers ab discriminate them .