The Vatican is ready to recognize a Palestinian state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, told Italian television Rai TV during an interview.
Parolin said the recognition of a state of Palestine was the “only solution,” in response to statements made by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who said such a move would be premature.
Cardinal Parolin replied, “Why premature? In our view, the solution lies in direct dialogue between the two sides aimed at establishing two autonomous state entities.”
The Cardinal went on to remind the Italian reporter that the Vatican had already recognized Palestine in 2015.
The Vatican officially recognized Palestine in a 2015 treaty that switched the Holy See’s diplomatic relations from the Palestine Liberation Organization to the state of Palestine.
The Cardinal claimed that a two-state solution was the only path to achieving peace in the region, adding that this remained the Vatican’s stated position.
Parolin urged all G7 nations to adopt a united front on the matter, adding that the only way to solve the impasse was via an Israeli-Palestinian dialogue.
His statements follow French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent announcement that France would recognize the State of Palestine in September, during the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Remarking on the situation in the West Bank, the Cardinal called it “dramatic”, adding that this framework could act as a road map to reach a political solution in Palestine.
