Holy See Press Office Communiqué

On Saturday morning, 16 December, H.E. Cardinal Pietro Parolin met with H.E. Enas Sayed Mohamed Aly Mekkawy, Delegate of the League of Arab States, accompanied by the following Ambassadors: H.E. Mr. Issa Kassissieh, Ambassador of Palestine; H.E. Mr. Farid El Khazen, Ambassador of Lebanon; H.E. Mr. Rahman Farhan Abdullah Alaameri, Ambassador of Iraq; and H.E. Mr. Mahmoud Talaat, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

During the cordial talks in the Secretariat of State, H.E. Cardinal Secretary of State expressed the Holy See’s concern regarding the situation in Israel and Palestine:

—  the repeatedly expressed appeal of the Holy Father, Francis, for a ceasefire;

—  the need for access for humanitarian aid to Gaza;

—  the well-known position on the urgent need to achieve full implementation of the two-state solution and an internationally guaranteed special status for the city of Jerusalem, for lasting peace in the region.