VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Palestinian leader meets Saturday with Pope Francis as he rallies international support ahead of this weekend's Paris peace summit.

Among other things, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to raise with Francis Palestinian concern about a possible move of the U.S. embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The Palestinians strongly oppose the move, saying it would kill any hopes for negotiating peace and rile the region by undercutting Muslim and Christian claims to the holy city.

The Vatican has long sought an internationally guaranteed status for Jerusalem that safeguards its sacred character.

After the papal audience, Abbas will open an embassy of his own: The Palestinian embassy to the Holy See, fruit of recent accords in which the Vatican formally recognized the "Palestinian state." </s> "We are very grateful about the role that the Holy See has played for a just and lasting peace in the Holy Land, and for having opened an embassy of Palestine in the Vatican for first time," Abbas said, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA

"We are proud to be the birthplace of Christianity and about having one of the oldest Christian communities in the world."

Issa Kassissieh, the Palestinian ambassador to the Holy See, called the move "a significant achievement for the Palestinian people," WAFA said.

Israel has yet to respond to news of the opening.

Many other countries, including Israel, have embassies in Vatican City. Vatican policy has long held that a two-state solution is the best road to peace in the Holy Land, and Francis has taken steps to raise the profile of a Palestinian state. The Vatican had referred to Palestine as a state since November 2012, when the United Nations voted to recognize it as a nonmember observer state. Francis broke ground by formally recognizing Palestinian statehood in a legal document in May 2015. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas applauds the opening of the Palestinian Embassy in Vatican City. Also in 2015, Francis declared nuns Marie Alphonsine Ghattas and Mariam Baouardy the first two Palestinian saints of modern times. In June 2014, Francis hosted Abbas and late Israeli President Shimon Peres for an unprecedented prayer ceremony at the Vatican. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution In September 2015 allowing the "State of Palestine" and the Vatican to raise their flags outside of UN headquarters and UN offices. At the Vatican on Saturday, Abbas said he planned to attend a conference the following day in Paris to explore ways to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. US Secretary of State John Kerry is among officials from more than 70 nations who plan to attend the conference. Israel has said it will not participate. </s> VATICAN CITY — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas heads into a meeting Saturday with Pope Francis as he rallies international support ahead of this weekend's Paris peace summit.

Among other things, Abbas is expected to raise with Francis the Palestinian concern about a possible move of the U.S. embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The Palestinians strongly oppose the move, saying it would kill any hopes for negotiating an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement and rile the region by undercutting Muslim and Christian claims to the holy city.

The Vatican has long sought an internationally guaranteed status for Jerusalem that safeguards its sacred character. It was unclear if the Vatican would want to wade into the issue by mentioning Jerusalem in its post-audience communique.

After the papal meeting, Abbas will open an embassy of his own: The Palestinian embassy to the Holy See, fruit of recent accords in which the Vatican formally recognized the "Palestinian state."

On Sunday, France is hosting more than 70 countries at a Mideast peace summit that marks the final chance for the Obama administration to lay out its positions for the region. No tangible progress is expected.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump hasn't yet laid out a clear policy for the regionnwin, but has he will be more sympathetic to Israel's hard-line right than previous administrations. He has also vowed to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Abbas has written to Trump warning of the risks of such a move and asked him to reconsider, while also flagging the concern to Arab and other world leaders, said the Palestinian foreign minister, Riyad Malki.

"The president will raise this issue with the pope on Saturday in the Vatican," he told The Associated Press. </s> By The Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Palestinian leader meets Saturday with Pope Francis as he rallies international support ahead of this weekend’s Paris peace summit.

Among other things, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to raise with Francis Palestinian concern about a possible move of the U.S. embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The Palestinians strongly oppose the move, saying it would kill any hopes for negotiating peace and rile the region by undercutting Muslim and Christian claims to the holy city.

The Vatican has long sought an internationally guaranteed status for Jerusalem that safeguards its sacred character.

After the papal audience, Abbas will open an embassy of his own: The Palestinian embassy to the Holy See, fruit of recent accords in which the Vatican formally recognized the “Palestinian state.” </s> Pope Francis welcomes Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during a private audience on May 16, 2015 in Vatican VATICAN CITY - Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was set to meet Saturday with Pope Francis as he rallies international support ahead of this weekend's Paris peace summit. Among other things, Abbas was expected to raise with Francis Palestinian concern about a possible move of the US embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Start the conversation, or Read more at The Times of Israel. </s> ROME (JTA) – Pope Francis and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called for renewed direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority during a meeting at the Vatican.

Abbas warned against moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, telling reporters: “If this is the decision, to transfer the embassy to Jerusalem, it will not help peace and we hope it doesn’t happen.”

The meeting Saturday at the Vatican took place a day before Sunday’s international peace conference in Paris on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The pope hosted Abbas at a private audience ahead of the official inauguration of a Palestinian embassy to the Holy See.

The Vatican recognized Palestine as a state in 2015.

The Vatican said in a statement that the discussions between the Pope and Abbas were “cordial.”

“Hope was expressed that direct negotiations between the parties may be resumed to bring an end to the violence that causes unacceptable suffering to civilian populations, and to find a just and lasting solution,” the Vatican statement said.

The statement also said: “it is hoped that, with the support of the international community, measures can be taken that favor mutual trust and contribute to creating a climate that permits courageous decisions to be made in favor of peace.” It added, “Emphasis was placed on the importance of safeguarding the sanctity of the Holy Places for believers of all three of the Abrahamic religions.”

In a separate statement, Abbas called Jerusalem “the capital of the State of Palestine,” and said that he and the pope had also reaffirmed their “support for Jerusalem being an open city.” </s> Alwaght- Palestinian authority raised the possibility of US embassy relocation in his recent visit with Pope Francis on Saturday.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he discussed the issue of moving US embassy from Tel Aviv to al-Quds (Jerusalem) during a meeting with Vatican head.

"We are waiting to see if it happens. If it does, it will not help peace and we hope it does not happen," said Abbas while addressing reporters outside the Vatican gates following a meeting with the pope.

Abbas was in Italy to open the new embassy of the State of Palestine in the Vatican, which he said was "a sign that the pope loves the people of Palestine and loves peace."

US President-elect Donald Trump has promised to relocate the embassy from Tel Aviv to al-Quds, which is regarded by Palestinians as their future capital. The controversial decision has evoked Palestinians' bitter opposition.

The Vatican has unconditionally recognized a Palestinian state for years but made it official in 2015 by signing a treaty with the State of Palestine.

In an interview with France’s Le Figaro newspaper on Saturday, Abbas said he had penned a letter to Trump in which he had warned of the danger of relocating the embassy.

"Not only would it strip the United States of all its legitimacy to play a role in resolving the conflict, but it would reduce to nothing a two-state solution," he said.

In September, Trump, who was the Republican presidential front-runner at the time, promised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would recognize al-Quds as Israeli undivided capital if he emerged triumphant in the US presidential election. </s> PARIS (CNN) — An international peace conference aimed at bringing a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict opened in Paris Sunday.

While it is being attended by some 70 countries, neither Israeli nor Palestinian officials were present, while the incoming administration of the White House was also absent.

The conference, which was welcomed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during his visit to meet Pope Francis at the Holy See on Saturday, was dismissed as “rigged” by Israeli PrIme Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The talks, hosted by France, are aimed at bringing both sides back to some level of negotiations with the last round of talks collapsing in 2014.

Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French foreign minister, told delegates, “there is no time to lose” over a solution.

“It is not the time to stop, the emergency remains,” he said.

“The parties remain very distanced in a relationship of defiance, which is particularly dangerous, and no one is immune to a new explosion of violence.”

The conference comes amid rising tensions between Israeli and Palestinian leaders following December’s passing of a UN Security Council resolution that condemned Israeli settlement construction.

The Security Council approved the resolution with 14 votes with the US abstaining.

Israel fears the recommendations of the conference could turn into another Security Council resolution in the Obama administration’s final days in office.

Speaking at his cabinet meeting Sunday, Netanyahu described the event in Paris as a “useless conference.”

“It is being coordinated between the French and the Palestinians,” he said.

“Its goal is to try and force terms on Israel that conflict with our national needs. Of course it pushes peace further away because it hardens the Palestinian positions and it also pushes them away from direct negotiations without preconditions.

“I must say that this conference is among the last twitches of yesterday’s world. Tomorrow’s world will be different — and it is very near.”

Netanyahu’s mention of “tomorrow’s world” could be in reference to President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign pledge to relocate the US Embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem — a proposal that has caused consternation within the international community.

Abbas has written to Trump to say an embassy move would have a dire effect on any chances of peace.

He also warned in a recent speech that “any statement or position that disrupts or changes the status of Jerusalem is a red line which we will not accept.” </s> Pope Francis and Moroccan King Mohammed VI launched a joint appeal Saturday, urging the protection of the status quo of Jerusalem as the common patrimony of “the followers of the three monotheistic religions.”

The appeal was released in the midst of the pope’s two-day visit to Morocco and asserts the two leaders’ concern for “the unique and sacred character of Jerusalem / Al-Quds Acharif” as well as “its spiritual significance and its special vocation as a city of peace.”

“We consider it important to preserve the Holy City of Jerusalem / Al-Quds Acharif as the common patrimony of humanity,” the appeal states, “and especially the followers of the three monotheistic religions, as a place of encounter and as a symbol of peaceful coexistence, where mutual respect and dialogue can be cultivated.”

In late 2017, Pope Francis issued a similar appeal calling for respect for the “status quo” in Jerusalem following the news that the United States would transfer its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to the Holy City.

“My thoughts now turn to Jerusalem,” the pope said. “I cannot remain silent about my deep concern for the situation that has been created in the last days.”

“At the same time, I would like to make a heartfelt appeal for everyone’s commitment to respect the city’s status quo, in conformity with the pertinent United Nations Resolutions,” he said.

“Jerusalem is a unique city, sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, who venerate the Holy Sites of their respective religions there, and it has a special vocation to peace,” the pope added.

Last November, the pope met with the president of Israel in the Vatican to discuss Israeli-Palestinian relations as well as the “Jerusalem question.”

According to a Vatican press release, the two leaders discussed the resumption of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians “so as to reach an accord respecting the legitimate aspirations of both peoples” as well as “the Jerusalem question,” in its religious and human dimension for Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

The Jerusalem question entails “the importance of safeguarding its identity and vocation as City of Peace,” the communiqué stated.

In their joint appeal Saturday, the pope and the Moroccan president called for the protection and promotion of “the specific multi-religious character, the spiritual dimension and the particular cultural identity of Jerusalem / Al-Quds Acharif.”

“It is our hope, therefore, that in the Holy City, full freedom of access to the followers of the three monotheistic religions and their right to worship will be guaranteed, so that in Jerusalem / Al-Quds Acharif they may raise their prayers to God, the Creator of all, for a future of peace and fraternity on the earth,” they said.
The Palestinian National Authority prepares to open an embassy in the Vatican City, just one day before a Palestinian peace conference in Paris.