Pope Francis says 'recognizing rights of all people' in Holy Land is essential
Pope Francis, speaking to Palestinians ahead of US President Donald Trump's announcement on Jerusalem, said on Wednesday "recognising the rights of all people" in the Holy Land is a primary condition for dialogue.
Pope Francis, speaking to Palestinians ahead of US President Donald Trump's announcement on Jerusalem, said on Wednesday "recognising the rights of all people" in the Holy Land is a primary condition for dialogue.
The pope, who spoke to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about the crisis on Tuesday, made his comments to a group of visiting Palestinians involved in inter-religious dialogue with the Vatican.
"The Holy Land is for us Christians the land par excellence of dialogue between God and mankind," he said.
He spoke of dialogue between religions "and also in civil society".
"The primary condition of that dialogue is reciprocal respect and a commitment to strengthening that respect, for the sake of recognising the rights of all people, wherever they happen to be," he said.
Trump is due on Wednesday to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital and set in motion the relocation of the US Embassy to the ancient city, senior US officials said, a decision that upends decades of US policy and risks fuelling violence in the Middle East.