Vatican City, Oct 8, 2009 / 08:13 am
Catholics in Palestine were the topic of conversation this morning between Pope Benedict and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The Holy Father met with Abbas at the Apostolic Palace, where they discussed the Pope's recent trip to the Holy Land, the situation in the region and the importance of finding a "lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."
Solving the long running dispute requires that "the rights of everyone are respected and recognized," the two leaders agreed. In particular, "emphasis was given to the importance of co-operation and mutual respect between the parties involved, and of the support of the international community," the Vatican said.