Leo made the remarks as he flew from Turkiye to Lebanon on Sunday for his second and final international trip as pope.
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The pontiff was questioned by reporters on the plane about the conversation he had with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, when they first met in Ankara, and whether they had ever spoken about the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
Leo confirmed that they had, claiming that Turkiye has an “important role to play” in putting an end to both conflicts.
He reiterated the Holy See’s long support for a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza. The only way to end the decades-old conflict is to establish a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank, and Gaza, which has long been held internationally as the only option.
Israel may not agree with this solution at this time, but we believe it to be the only option available to them, according to Leo. We work with both sides to provide a mediating voice that can bring them closer to a solution that brings justice for all, adding that we are also friends with Israel.
While visiting Turkiye, the pope has stayed away from making any direct reference to Israel’s genocidal conflict there.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office did not respond right away. He has long argued that establishing a Palestinian state would reward Hamas, which would eventually create a larger Hamas-run state on Israel’s borders.
Netanyahu asserted earlier this month that neither Israeli opposition to a Palestinian state has “changed a single thing” and is not threatened by pressure from outside or inside. He claimed, “I don’t need anyone to give me affirmations, tweets, or lectures.”
A “glimmer of hope”
Later in the afternoon, the American pontiff arrived in Beirut and will meet with Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, the only Christian head of state, in a speech addressed to authorities and diplomats at the presidential palace.
He is expected to meet Lebanese officials on the side of the road leading to the presidential palace. He’ll also attend a massive mass in Beirut’s center, according to Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem, who is there. He then travels to several cities nationwide.
Lebanon’s population is predominantly Muslim, with roughly half of them coming from the Shia and Sunni branches, while only 30% of its population is Christian.
Popes have increasingly sought to meet local Catholics, spread the faith, and conduct international diplomacy as a result of their efforts to travel abroad.
For the sake of peace
Leading Druze cleric Sheikh Sami Abi al-Muna said Lebanon “needs the glimmer of hope represented by this visit” and that Lebanon’s diverse communities were appreciative of the papal visit.
Prior to Leo’s arrival, reinforcements from the Lebanese army and internal security forces were stationed at the airport.
His convoy will pass through southern suburbs of Beirut, a region where Hezbollah controls control and where the terrain was hampered by Israeli airstrikes last year. As the convoy passes, Imam al-Mahdi Scouts from Hezbollah will hold a welcome ceremony by the side of the road.
Leo’s schedule includes a prayer at the Beirut port site of the devastating explosion that killed 200 people and damaged $ billion worth of damage in 2020.
He will also visit a psychiatric hospital, one of the few mental health facilities in Lebanon, where residents and staff members are eagerly awaiting his arrival. He will also lead an outdoor mass on the Beirut waterfront.
Leo won’t travel to the south, where Israeli attacks are likely to take place. Israel continues to bomb southern Lebanon almost daily despite a US-brokered ceasefire in November 2024.
According to Beirut resident Farah Saadeh, the pope “is coming to bless us and for the sake of peace.” We must wait and see what will happen after he leaves, Saadeh said, “we hope nothing will occur after his departure.”
Source: Aljazeera
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