Pope Francis visited Bethlehem, in the West Bank, on the second day of his three-day visit to the Holy Land, the Big News Network website reports today (May 25, 2014).
Pope Francis was welcomed today to Bethlehem -- the birthplace of Christianity -- by the President of the Palestinian Authority (PA), Mahmoud Abbas, and senior religious officials. In his arrival remarks, Pope Francis expressed support of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
He said the time has come for everyone to find the courage to be generous and creative in the service of the common good. Moreover, he said, to forge a peace based on the recognition -- on the part of everyone -- of two states, of their right to exist and to enjoy peace and security within internationally-recognized borders.
Abbas welcomed the pontiff saying Palestinians value highly his efforts on their behalf. Abbas added we have shown His Holiness the tragic situation that East Jerusalem is living and what he called Israel's plan to change its identity and status, to isolate its Palestinian residents -- Christian and Muslim -- to force them to emigrate.
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