Just before a peace conference to revive long-stalled talks with Israel, the Palestinian Authority has opened an embassy at the Vatican. The Vatican recognizes the Palestinian Authority as a state, giving it the right to establish the embassy.
The embassy confers a new level of legitimacy on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. “While the Vatican has maintained close ties with Israel, Francis has increasingly spoken on behalf of the Palestinian people, encouraging both sides to reach a deal that creates a Palestinian state recognized by Israel.”
“This embassy is a place of pride for us and we hope that all of the countries of the world recognize the state of Palestine, because this recognition will bring us closer to the peace process,” Abbas said at the Vatican.
Palestinians have long wanted recognition of their own statehood, but they insist that the Palestinian state must consist of territory along the pre-1967 border with Israel that includes land on the West Bank and Gaza. They also want sovereign control over east Jerusalem, which Israel opposes, claiming the whole of Jerusalem as its capital.
The issues involved in Vatican recognition of the Palestinian Authority could lead to further tensions and even war.
“All the world wondered…” Revelation 13:3.