The Vatican, in a highly unusual move, summoned both the US and Israeli ambassadors to express the Holy See's concern about Israel's moves to extend its sovereignty to settlements in Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley.
A Vatican statement on Wednesday said meetings with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, and US Ambassador Callista Gingrich and Israeli Ambassador Oren David, took place on Tuesday.
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A senior diplomatic source reported that Parolin met the two envoys separately, a detail which was not clear in the Vatican statement.
It said Parolin, the Vatican's top diplomat, expressed "the concern of the Holy See regarding possible unilateral actions that may further jeopardize the search for peace between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as the delicate situation in the Middle East."
The Vatican statement reiterated its position in support of a two-state solution, saying "Israel and the State of Palestine have the right to exist and to live in peace and security, within internationally recognized borders."
The Vatican appealed to Israelis and Palestinians to do everything possible to reopen the process of direct negotiations on the basis of UN resolutions.
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