Pope Leo XIV has again backed a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling it the only path to “justice for both sides” during a flight from Turkiye to Lebanon on Sunday.
Leo told reporters he discussed the wars in Gaza and Ukraine with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and said Turkiye has a key role in efforts to end both conflicts. He reiterated the Vatican’s long-held position that a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza is the only viable resolution, even though Israel rejects the idea, Al Jazeera reported.
The pope has avoided directly addressing Israel’s genocide in Gaza during his Turkiye visit. Israel has not responded to his remarks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly ruled out a Palestinian state, saying his position “has not changed one bit.”
Leo arrived in Beirut for the second leg of his trip and will meet President Joseph Aoun before delivering an address to officials and diplomats. Large crowds gathered along the route to welcome him, and he is scheduled to hold a mass in central Beirut and visit several cities.
Lebanon’s religious leaders have welcomed the visit, calling it a source of hope for a country facing deep political and economic turmoil. Security forces have deployed across the capital, including in Hezbollah strongholds hit by Israeli strikes last year.
Leo will pray at the site of the 2020 Beirut port blast, lead an outdoor mass on the waterfront, and visit a psychiatric hospital. He will not travel to southern Lebanon, where Israel continues near-daily strikes despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
Residents say they hope the visit will bring “peace” but remain wary of what follows once the pope departs.
