Pope Francis has called on Israel and the Palestinians to find a solution at the negotiating table.
The 86-year-old Catholic pontiff strongly advocated a two-state solution, one state for Israel and one for the Palestinians.
He said, “Every war is a defeat. Nothing is solved by war. Everything is gained with peace, with dialogue.
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“In war, one slap in the face provokes another. A strong one and then another stronger one, and it goes on,” Francis said.
“However, it is about two people who must live together.
“There is a “clever solution” for this: ‘Two peoples, two states. The Oslo Accords state: two well-limited states and Jerusalem with a special status.”
Francis was referring to the Oslo peace process between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), which began in 1993.