Pope Francis has cautioned against "unfair" solutions aimed at ending the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
In a speech Sunday during a visit to the Italian southern port city of Bari to reflect on peace in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, Francis lamented the many areas of war and conflict, including in the Middle East and Northern Africa.
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Francis spoke of "the still unresolved conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, with the danger of not fair solutions, and, thus, presaging new crises."
The pope didn't cite any specific proposals.
A new US peace plan, otherwise known as US President Donald Trump's "deal of the century," would let Israel annex settlements along with the Jordan Valley. It would give the Palestinians contiguous territory with a capital on the outskirts of Jerusalem, but only if they meet stringent conditions.
In the same speech, Francis took a swipe at populist politics. "It scares me when I hear some speeches by some leaders of the new forms of popularism,'' he said. He also lamented that waves of refugees fleeing conflicts, climate change consequences and other adversity are "depicted as an invasion."
Among the prelates gathered for his speech in Bari's Pontifical Basilica of St. Nicholas were churchmen from the Balkans, Jerusalem and Algeria.
