More than three weeks after the start of the new war in Gaza, Pope Francis called on Israel and the Palestinians to find a solution at the negotiating table. “Every war is a defeat. Nothing can be resolved with war. Anything. Everything will be won with peace, with dialogue”, said the head of the Catholic Church today in an interview with the Italian television channel Rai.
The 86-year-old strongly advocated a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians. This approach is supported from many quarters, but despite all international calls, it has not seen any progress for decades.
“In war, one slap causes another. One strong and then another stronger, and so it continues”, said the Pope. However, it is about “two peoples who have to live together”. There is a “smart solution” for this: “Two peoples, two states. The Oslo Agreement: two well-defined states and Jerusalem with a special status.” He also condemned all forms of anti-Semitism.