Pope Says He Supports 'State of Palestine'

Pope Francis called for peace in the "increasingly unacceptable" Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Sunday in a speech at the palace of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem

In his speech, which came hours before the Pope was due to arrive in Israel, Pope Francis spoke of good relations between the Holy See and the "State of Palestine," called for the existence of a two-state solution and addressed Mr. Abbas as "a peacemaker."

"For decades the Middle East has known the tragic consequences of a protracted conflict which has inflicted many wounds so difficult to heal," the Pope said in the Sunday morning address (see the full remarks). "Even in the absence of violence, the climate of instability and a lack of mutual understanding have produced insecurity, the violation of rights, isolation and the flight of entire communities, conflicts, shortages and sufferings of every sort." Read more...