Palestine envoy to Holy See calls on ‘Catholic world’ not to lose ‘hope’ and to remember ‘baby Jesus’ during Gaza conflict

ROME – As the war in Gaza drags on, Palestine’s Ambassador to the Holy See offered an update on the situation on the ground and praised the Vatican’s support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, saying it is the only path to a lasting peace.

“If we talk about a durable and comprehensive peace, this is the only path,” Ambassador Issa J. Kassissieh, who serves as Palestine’s envoy to the Holy See and to the Sovereign Order of Malta, said of the two-state solution.

“Many don’t believe in it anymore, and there is no trust on either side,” he said. However, when it comes to the Holy See, “they did their duty by recognizing the State of Palestine based on the borders of ‘67. I believe that the Catholic world should have followed suit with His Holiness and respected his step.”