Cardinal Parolin reiterates call for Palestinian state and decries hunger in Gaza



In a conversation with journalists on the sidelines of a Jubilee event for digital influencers, Cardinal Parolin emphasizes the importance of recognizing two states, Israel and Palestine, “living side by side, independently but also in cooperation and security.” He also spoke about the need for a “path to resolving the conflict” in Ukraine, relations with the Patriarchate of Moscow, and expressed sorrow over the attack on a Catholic church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

By Giada Aquilino

The Holy See has “already recognized” Palestine for some time. Following French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that France will recognize the State of Palestine in September, during the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the issue returned to the forefront in the words of the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Asked by journalists on the sidelines of a Jubilee event for digital influencers, the Cardinal reiterated that this is “the solution — the recognition of two states, living side by side, independently but also in cooperation and security.”

In response to a question about claims that recognizing the State of Palestine is “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.”

He acknowledged, however, that the situation is becoming increasingly difficult — particularly due to the developments in the West Bank — referring to Israeli settlements there: “This certainly does not help, from a practical standpoint, the realization of the Palestinian State.” Hence his hope that the meetings in New York — taking place today and tomorrow during the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Resolution of the Palestinian Question and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution — will “bear some fruit.”

It is worth remembering that the Holy See signed a basic agreement with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) 25 years ago. Then, ten years ago, it signed a Comprehensive Agreement with the State of Palestine, which entered into force in January 2016.

Investigation into attack on Gaza church

Regarding the investigation into the 17 July Israeli attack on the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza — where initial findings suggest that the strike on the building, which caused three deaths and ten injuries, was not intentional, nor the result of human error, but rather due to a malfunction of the shell or artillery mechanism — Cardinal Parolin stated that he does not have “any other information that would lead to a different assessment.”“We weren’t able to conduct an independent investigation. We accept the findings provided by the Israeli army and government, but we continue to insist on the need for caution,” he added.“

The impression is that these errors happen repeatedly. Close attention must be paid to ensure that places of worship and humanitarian institutions are not again struck by violence. It is up to Israel to find a way to make sure these mistakes do not happen again. I believe that if there is a will, a way can be found.”

He also highlighted the severity of the crisis in Gaza and the urgent need for humanitarian aid: “I hope it arrives, because the situation is unsustainable. And truly, as many international agencies are now reporting, a new weapon being used is starvation — famine and lack of food.”

Mediation between Russia and Ukraine

On the other major front — the war in Ukraine — and the possibility of mediation or a peace meeting between Russia and Ukraine, Cardinal Parolin stated: “I don’t think the Vatican can be accused of not being neutral. We have always tried — while speaking truthfully — to stand close to both sides and, above all, to help find a path toward a resolution of the conflict.”

In response to a question about Pope Francis’s meeting last Saturday with Metropolitan Antonij of Volokolamsk, the head of external relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Secretary of State called the encounter “positive,” noting that: “It’s important to talk, to maintain contact, and for this to help gradually resume more cordial and constructive relations with the Moscow Patriarchate.”

Congo devastated by violence

The Cardinal also addressed the “dangerous signal” sent to Christians by the recent attack on a Catholic church in Ituri, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which resulted in dozens of deaths. The attack, carried out by armed men from the ADF — “forces that are essentially an expression of Islamic Jihad and impose themselves through force and violence” — happened, Cardinal Parolin noted, in a region already plagued by “ethnic, cultural, and socio-political conflicts.”  “Adding a religious dimension,” he reflected, “only makes the problem even worse.”



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