Vatican recognizes state of Palestine in new treaty
The Israeli foreign ministry said it was "disappointed." (ahh)
"This move does not promote the peace process and distances the Palestinian leadership from returning to direct and bilateral negotiations," the ministry said in a text message, according to the Associated Press.
As a practical matter, Palestinians must still negotiate the terms of any statehood with Israel. But as the representative of the world's largest Christian constituency, the Vatican does have influence on the question of Jerusalem, which both Israeli and Palestinian leaders claim as their rightful capital, said Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.
"On the undefined, undecided status of Jerusalem generally, the Vatican has a role in that," Ibish said.
Vatican recognizes state of Palestine in new treaty
So?