Vatican City, 16 October, 2023 / 1:25 pm (ACI Africa).
The auxiliary bishop of Jerusalem on Sunday told EWTN News that the Church in the Holy Land is praying for a “truce” to end the hostilities in the Israel-Hamas war and for both sides to then begin negotiating for a “two-state solution” to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Jerusalem Auxiliary Bishop William Hanna Shomali said in an interview with EWTN News’ “Vaticano” on Sunday: “We pray that a truce takes place, a stop hold of violence, of attacks.”
“And after that, when there is this hold and a more peaceful situation, [then] both sides can negotiate for the two-state solution and to solve the issue of Jerusalem and the holy places,” Shomali said. “I am not a politician to say what should be done, how a negotiation should be run.”
The interview took place following the Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel by the terrorist group Hamas that killed 1,300 Israelis and international civilians. The interview also comes amid fresh criticism of the Vatican’s diplomatic response to Hamas’ attacks leveled by Israel’s foreign minister, Eli Cohen, who maintains that the Holy See has not issued a “clear and unequivocal” condemnation of the “murderous terrorist actions” of Hamas terrorists, according to a report by the Times of Israel.
“It is unacceptable that you put out a statement expressing worry primarily for Gazan civilians while Israel is burying 1,300 who were murdered,” Cohen said, according to the Foreign Ministry.