The Vatican continues to advocate for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine and, despite resistance, will continue to seek mediation between Israel and Palestine, Pope Leo XIV said in an impromptu airborne press conference.,The Vatican continues to advocate for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine and, despite resistance, will continue to seek mediation between Israel and Palestine, Pope Leo XIV said in an impromptu airborne press conference.
15 days ago
Pope Leo XIV addressed the ongoing Gaza conflict during a surprise press conference on November 30, 2025.1
He criticized Israel for not accepting what he described as the "only solution" to the crisis.1
This remark highlights the Pope's view on a definitive path forward amid prolonged tensions in the region.1
The statement underscores the Vatican's continued engagement with Middle East peace efforts under the new pontificate.1
Does the Church’s doctrine support a dual‑state solution for Gaza?
The Catholic Church's doctrine, as articulated through papal teachings, statements from the Holy See, and episcopal conferences, consistently endorses a two-state solution as the path to just and lasting peace in the Holy Land. This position recognizes the right of both the State of Israel and the Palestinian people to exist securely and sovereignly, with Gaza forming a key part of the envisioned Palestinian state alongside the West Bank. Rooted in principles of justice, human dignity, and dialogue, the Church's stance addresses the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including the specific challenges in Gaza, without endorsing unilateral actions or violence. This support is not merely political but draws from the Gospel call to peace and fraternity, emphasizing that true peace requires equitable recognition of rights for all peoples involved.
The Church's advocacy for a two-state framework dates back decades, emerging from a commitment to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through mutual recognition and negotiation. In 1979, Pope John Paul II addressed the United Nations General Assembly, stressing that any peace settlement must include "the consideration and just settlement of the Palestinian question" as part of an "overall peace in the area," based on equitable recognition of rights. This early intervention highlighted the interconnectedness of regional stability, including Lebanon's integrity and Jerusalem's special status, underscoring that partial solutions cannot endure without addressing Palestinian aspirations.
By 1982, amid escalating violence, Pope John Paul II reiterated this in speeches and audiences, affirming that "there cannot be true peace without justice," and that justice demands stable recognition of the "existence and security" of both Israeli and Palestinian peoples on their own territories while preserving their identities. He posed a direct question: whether it was unrealistic to hope for dialogue leading to an "equitable solution" where both live in peace, dignity, and freedom, pledging tolerance and reconciliation. This vision implicitly includes Gaza, as part of the Palestinian homeland, and rejects violence or armed struggle as paths to resolution.
These foundational statements evolved into explicit endorsements of a two-state model. In 1997, Pope John Paul II told Israel's ambassador to the Holy See that Israelis and Palestinians are "called to live side-by-side, equally free and sovereign, in mutual respect," urging dialogue on issues like refugees, settlements, borders, and Jerusalem's status. By 2000, during his Jubilee pilgrimage to Bethlehem, he affirmed the Palestinian people's "natural right to a homeland" and the need for a peace "secured through negotiation" to fulfill legitimate aspirations, ending the cycle of suffering.
Successive popes have built on this doctrine, applying it directly to contemporary crises, including those in Gaza. Pope Benedict XVI, in 2010, called for universal recognition of Israel's right to exist securely within recognized borders and the Palestinian right to a "sovereign and independent homeland" with dignity and freedom of movement, while protecting Jerusalem's sacred character. This two-state imperative has been a cornerstone of Vatican diplomacy.
Pope Francis has repeatedly invoked this framework, especially amid Gaza's humanitarian crises. In his 2024 address to the Diplomatic Corps, he renewed appeals for a ceasefire in Gaza and liberation of hostages, expressing hope that the international community pursue "with determination the solution of two states, one Israeli and one Palestinian," alongside a special status for Jerusalem to ensure peace and security. He linked this to broader regional stability, decrying the conflict's destabilizing effects. Similarly, in January 2025, Pope Francis again called for a ceasefire and aid in Gaza, praying that Israelis and Palestinians "rebuild the bridges of dialogue" for two states where future generations live "side by side in peace and security." He referenced the 2014 Vatican peace invocation with Israeli and Palestinian leaders as proof that dialogue remains possible despite enmity.
These teachings align with the Church's social doctrine, as outlined in documents like the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, which emphasizes peace as a fruit of justice and the common good, requiring respect for each people's right to self-determination without domination.[Note: While not directly cited here, this underpins the consistency across papal statements.] The Church condemns terrorism, such as Hamas's actions, while insisting on proportionality in self-defense and protection of civilians in Gaza.
Episcopal bodies, particularly the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), have echoed and operationalized this doctrine. Since the 1970s, the USCCB has pursued justice by supporting a "secure and recognized Israel living in peace alongside a viable Palestinian state," tracing the conflict's roots to 1948 and highlighting Gaza's occupation post-1967. They welcomed Israel's 2005 Gaza withdrawal but noted its failure to advance peace, criticizing settlements and barriers that confiscate Palestinian resources.
In 2008, following a pastoral visit, the USCCB and other episcopal conferences urged implementation of Annapolis commitments for a "global approach respectful of the rights and legitimate interests of all," emphasizing security for Israelis and freedom for Palestinians amid Gaza's deteriorating situation. By 2016, in the Atlanta Summit document, they affirmed the two-state solution as "viable politically, geographically, economically and socially," demanding an end to occupation beyond 1967 borders, settlement expansion, and constraints on Palestinian rights, while envisioning Jerusalem as a shared capital with equal rights. They stressed protecting Palestinian Christians as "living stones" whose presence depends on a just solution.
Holy See representatives have reinforced this in international forums. In 2023, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia told the UN Security Council that the two-state solution "still offers hope" for ending violence, condemning Hamas's October 7 attacks while appealing for humanitarian corridors in Gaza. Archbishop Paul Gallagher noted the Holy See's diplomatic steps—relations with Israel (1993), Jordan (1994), and Palestine (2015)—as fruits of the Oslo Accords' two-state vision, lamenting stalled progress due to governance issues and Israeli policies.
Gaza's plight—marked by blockades, rocket attacks, military responses, and humanitarian crises—exemplifies the urgency of the two-state solution. The Church views Gaza not in isolation but as integral to Palestinian statehood, where rights to security, aid, and movement must be upheld. Doctrinally, this aligns with the just war tradition's insistence on discrimination (protecting non-combatants) and proportionality, rejecting indiscriminate suffering.
No sources indicate divergence; older statements (e.g., 1979-1982) lay the groundwork, while recent ones (2023-2025) take precedence, reaffirming the model amid escalation.[Core Directive: More recent sources take precedence.] Controversies, like settlement expansion or Hamas's refusal to recognize Israel, are addressed as obstacles to be overcome through dialogue, not alternatives to two states. The Church cautions against unilateralism, urging international guarantees for Jerusalem and refugees.
If sources fall short on hyper-specific Gaza doctrines (e.g., exact borders), they remain highly relevant by framing Gaza within the Palestinian right to statehood, without overreaching into geopolitical blueprints.
In summary, the Catholic Church's doctrine unequivocally supports a two-state solution encompassing Gaza as part of a sovereign Palestinian state, alongside a secure Israel, as the only viable path to peace. This position, woven through decades of papal and episcopal witness, calls for dialogue, justice, and humanitarian protection to break cycles of violence. It invites the faithful to pray and advocate for this vision, fostering fraternity in the Holy Land sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims.