Vatican summons Israel, US ambassadors over West Bank annexation
The Vatican's secretary of state met with US Ambassador Callista Gingrich and Israeli Ambassador Oren David on Tuesday.
In an extremely rare move, the Vatican announced it summoned the ambassadors of both the United States and Israel over the latter’s plan to annex parts of the West Bank.
According to a statement from the Holy See, Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin met with US Ambassador Callista Gingrich and Israeli Ambassador Oren David on Tuesday.
A senior diplomatic source told Reuters that Parolin met with the two ambassadors separately.
The meetings were arranged “in order to express the concern of the Holy See regarding possible unilateral actions that may further jeopardize the search for peace between Israelis and Palestinians,” read a Vatican statement. “The Holy See reiterates that the State of Israel and the State of Palestine have the right to exist and to live in peace and security, within internationally recognized borders.”
