Ankara, November 30: Pope Leo XIV has reiterated the Vatican's insistence on a two-state resolution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying it's the "only solution" that can guarantee justice for both sides, Al Jazeera reported. The Pope made the comments as he flew from Turkiye to Lebanon on Sunday for the second and final leg of his maiden international voyage as Pope. On the flight, the pontiff was asked by reporters about his private talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan upon his arrival in Ankara, and whether they discussed the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, as per Al Jazeera. Gaza War: Istanbul Prosecutor Issues Arrest Warrants Against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Charges of ‘Genocide’ in Connection With War in Palestine.

The Pope confirmed they had and said that Turkiye has an "important role to play" in ending both conflicts. On Gaza, he repeated the Holy See's longstanding position supporting a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians. The creation of a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza has long been seen internationally as the only way to resolve the decades-long conflict. "We know that in this moment, Israel doesn't accept this solution, but we see it as the only one that can offer a solution to the conflict that they are living in," he said. "We are also friends with Israel, and we try with both sides to be a mediating voice that can help bring them closer to a solution with justice for all." Israel-Palestine Conflict: UN General Assembly Decides to Resume High-Level International Conference on 2-State Solution, US to Skip the Event.

The pope has avoided any direct mention of Israel's war in Gaza while in Turkiye, as per Al Jazeera. There was no immediate response from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has long asserted that creating a Palestinian state would reward the Palestinian group Hamas and eventually lead to an even larger Hamas-run state on Israel's borders. Earlier this month, Netanyahu said Israel's opposition to a Palestinian state has "not changed one bit" and isn't threatened by external or internal pressure. "I do not need affirmations, tweets or lectures from anyone," he said, as per Al Jazeera.

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