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

During the cordial talks in the Secretariat of State, His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State expressed the Holy See’s concern regarding the situation in Israel and Palestine, and reiterated:

-       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.