Pope Calls Palestinian Leader Abbas 'Angel of Peace' at Vatican Meeting

Pope Francis meets Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas
during an audience in the Vatican

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Meeting comes days after Vatican recognises "Palestinian state" in treaty, and precedes canonisation of first Palestinian Arab saints

Pope Francis met Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority leader, in the Vatican on Saturday, calling him "an angel of peace".

The meeting between the Pope – who visited both Israel and the occupied West Bank a year ago – and Mr Abbas came days after the Vatican confirmed it had concluded a treaty which effectively recognises Palestinian statehood.

The treaty – which has yet to be signed – states that the Vatican has switched its diplomatic relations from the Palestine Liberation Organisation to the "state of Palestine", thus giving further impetus to growing international calls to recognise a Palestinian state. » | AFP | Saturday, May 16, 2015