After the phone call from the Pope to the President of the United States, Joe Biden, on the evening of Thursday, October 26, a new call from the Pope to the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was confirmed. The Vatican spokesperson stated, “I can confirm that this morning there was a phone conversation between the Pope and the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.” The Vatican spokesperson’s statement noted that “The communication, requested by the latter [Erdoğan], focused on the dramatic situation in the Holy Land.” It was also specified that “The Pope expressed his sorrow for what is happening and reiterated the position of the Holy See, hoping that a two-state solution and a special status for the city of Jerusalem can be reached.”
The phone call between the Turkish President and the Pope came shortly after Erdoğan canceled a visit to Israel and some economic agreements with that country. In a speech before the Turkish parliament, the President referred to Hamas as a “group of freedom fighters” for Palestine and did condemn Israel’s airstrikes on Gaza. Around the same time, Queen Rania of Jordan, a descendant of Palestinians, gave an interview also condemning the invasion of Gaza.
By:zenit
