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A senior Vatican cardinal has raised the possibility of considering a one-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Cardinal Fernando Filoni, a former Vatican diplomat, suggested that the Holy See is open to alternatives to its long-held support for a two-state solution, provided they respect the rights and existence of both sides.
“You cannot negate Palestinians the right to exist, and you cannot deny Israelis the right to exist, both of them, in peace” said Filoni, the Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
“You cannot say we want the destruction of Israel – this always generates new violence. Just as you cannot say we want to destroy the Palestinians – you can’t say this” the Cardinal emphasised.
Recognition and coexistence
When questioned whether two separate states remain viable, Filoni responded “I don’t know if two states are better than one, integrated. They are two realities that live in the same territory.”
The cardinal stressed the paramount importance of mutual recognition and coexistence with justice, rather than the specific political framework.
“The right to existence must be guaranteed by all” he insisted.
Filoni’s one-state solution remarks hint at a potential shift from the Vatican’s decades-long public endorsement of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. As recently as last year, Pope Francis reaffirmed the Vatican’s backing for the two-state solution.
Filoni said the first and most important thing to work for is coexistence. “Always in the right of all to live with justice and the recognition of everyone’s rights because, if this is lacking, two states or three states, problems would exist.”
Role of surrounding countries
The cardinal said surrounding countries such as Jordan also have a role to play in the current conflict in Gaza. He also said that longstanding regional alliances can help alleviate the situation for those bearing the brunt of the violence.
To this end, he noted that Jordan runs a hospital in Gaza that is still operational amid the current war. The pastor of Gaza has taken people to that hospital for treatment.
The Holy See diplomat, formerly the Vatican’s ambassador to Iraq and Jordan, called for dialogue and gradually overcoming tensions. “We must want it, we must work for this” he said of achieving peace.
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