The Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, has reiterated the Holy See's concern for the situation in Israel and Palestine in a meeting on Saturday, December 16, with Enas Sayed Mohamed Aly Mekkawy, delegate of the League of Arab States, accompanied by Issa Kassissieh, ambassador of Palestine; Farid El Khazen, ambassador of Lebanon; Rahman Farhan Abdullah Alaameri, ambassador of Iraq; and Mahmoud Talaat, ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Holy See's concerns

During the cordial talks held at the offices of the Secretariat of State, as noted in a communiqué from the Holy See Press Office, Cardinal Parolin recalled Pope Francis' frequent appeals for a cease-fire, humanitarian aid access to Gaza, the urgent need to achieve full implementation of a two-state solution, and an internationally guaranteed special status for the city of Jerusalem, in order to establish lasting peace in the region.