Pope Leo XIV urges the international community to work for the two-state solution in the Holy Land.

After praying the midday Angelus on August 16 at Castel Gandolfo, Leo XIV called for an end to the violence in the West Bank, where Israeli settlers have laid siege to a village. The Pope also highlighted the spirit of brotherhood embodied by the Mediterranean Games, which are due to begin in Italy next Friday.

After reciting the Marian prayer in Piazza della Libertà, at the foot of his summer residence, the Pope issued an appeal "for an end to the ongoing violence against the Palestinian civilian population in the West Bank, and I urgently call on the international community to work toward advancing the two-state solution, for a just and lasting peace."

These words -- a renewal of previous appeals -- were met with loud applause from the crowd.

For several days now, families in the village of Qusra, in the West Bank, have been under siege by Israeli settlers. According to Terre Sainte Magazine, Palestinian property owners and Israeli peace activists came under fire from settlers in Beit Sahour on Friday. The Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, has indicated his intention to transfer responsibility for maintaining law and order in this occupied territory to the police.

In referencing the two-state solution, Pope Leo takes up the call the Vatican has made for decades for a longterm solution to the conflict in the Holy Land, which the Pope referred to yesterday as "Mary's Land."

Less than a month ago, on July 26, the Pope said this:

I continue to follow with deep concern the ongoing and escalating violence in the Holy Land, where, in recent days, many civilians, both in the West Bank and in Gaza, have once again fallen victim. I make a heartfelt appeal for a return to negotiations to achieve a just political solution, founded on the equal dignity and equal rights of every human person. At the same time, I urge the rejection of further military actions and unilateral decisions, especially those that violate the respect for and the status quo of the holy places of every religion.

I likewise renew my plea regarding the situation throughout the Middle East, where the intensification of military operations has again wreaked violence and destruction, endangering the lives of countless civilians and further aggravating the shortages of drinking water and electricity. From the depths of my heart, I exhort all parties involved to suspend the attacks and urgently reopen paths of dialogue and diplomacy, so that the longed-for peace for the entire region may be achieved without delay.

The Pope also expressed his support for the Mediterranean Games, a quadrennial sporting competition due to take place in Taranto from August 21 to September 3.

The Mediterranean Games will begin this week in Taranto. They will include various countries from Africa, Asia, and Europe that are part of the Mediterranean region. I hope this sporting event will be a sign of peace and friendship among the peoples of this region and the entire world.