Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, used his annual Christmas message to call for a negotiated two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This follows United States President Donald Trump declaring Jerusalem as Israel's capital on December 6, stoking Middle East tensions and causing direct conflict between the U.S. and the United Nations.
Pope Francis urges the United States to reverse its decision on Jerusalem.
In his "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) speech, delivered from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Pope Francis spoke of the Middle East conflict four days after more than 120 countries backed a U.N. resolution urging the United States to reverse its decision on Jerusalem. Referring to the Israelis and Palestinians, he said:
Let us pray that the will to resume dialog may prevail between the parties and that a negotiated solution can finally be reached, one that would allow the peaceful coexistence of two states within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders.
We see Jesus in the children of the Middle East who continue to suffer because of growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.
This is the second time Pope Francis has spoken publicly against Trump about Jerusalem.
It was the second time that the pope has spoken out publicly about Jerusalem since Trump’s decision to place the United States embassy in the city of Jerusalem, recognizing it as Israel's capital. On the same day of Trump's announcement, Pope Francis called for the city’s “status quo” to be respected, lest new tensions in the Middle East further inflame world conflicts.
Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future independent state, whereas Israel has declared the whole city to be its “united and eternal” capital.
Some people love Pope Francis, who practices what he preaches -- they show their support for his call for peace in the Middle East.
While others are not fans of the pope, nor of the Catholic church.
Some people really don't like him.
Others are critical of Palestinians, believing they have no interest in peace and compromise.
And the same goes for Israelis.
It is a complicated issue, to say the least, which many fear cannot be solved with a two-state solution.
Pope Francis also spoke about the plight of refugees around the world, asking for open hearts.
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