On the morning of March 16, 2026, Pope Leo XIV received a phone call from the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, according to the Vatican press office. As the Israeli-American offensive in Iran entered its third week, their conversation focused on "the alarming developments in the conflict in the Middle East and the living conditions of the Palestinian people."
During the conversation, the Pope "reaffirmed the Holy See’s commitment to achieving peace through political and diplomatic dialogue, as well as through full respect for international law," the Holy See stated.
This appeal follows previous exchanges between Pope Leo XIV and Mahmoud Abbas, who met at the Vatican on November 6, 2025. That meeting between the Pope and the 90-year-old Palestinian leader had served as an opportunity to reiterate the Holy See’s position in favor of a two-state solution for the Middle East.
What is the two-state solution?
The Holy See makes this call through the voices of individual diplomatic representatives and the popes themselves.
For example, at the United Nations in 2025, Archbishop Caccia (now the Pope's representative to the USA), said:
The Holy See remains convinced that the Two-State Solution, based on secure and internationally recognized borders, is the only viable and equitable path toward a just and lasting peace.
To support this vision, the Holy See has already taken meaningful steps. It formally recognized the State of Israel through the 1993 Fundamental Agreement and the State of Palestine through the 2015 Comprehensive Agreement.
It continues to uphold the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination.
The Holy See supports their legitimate aspirations to live in freedom, security, and dignity within an independent and sovereign State.
Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon ...
Israel’s engagement in a two-front war — in Iran since February 28 and in Lebanon since March 2 — has overshadowed the situation of the Palestinians, which remains critical in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
In Gaza, the ceasefire that theoretically went into effect on October 10, 2025, has not prevented the continuation of Israeli strikes that have killed several hundred people in recent months. On March 15, nine police officers and four civilians, including a pregnant woman, were killed in Israeli bombings.
In the context of the Gaza war triggered by Hamas’s offensive on October 7, 2023, Pope Francis made strong statements regarding the Israeli response given the numerous civilian casualties, and encouraging questions about the possibility of genocide.
Taking a so-far more cautious approach, Leo XIV has not used the term “genocide,” though he has repeatedly expressed his compassion for Gaza.
During the Angelus address on March 15, Pope Leo XIV spoke about the ongoing war in the Middle East. See his statement in article below:
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