Wiesenthal Center Criticizes Vatican Move to Recognize Non-Existent Palestinian State

May 14, 2015

“While the Simon Wiesenthal Center appreciates the efforts of the Vatican to contribute to the peace and well being of all people in the Holy Land, its announcement of recognition of a non-existent Palestinian State at this juncture is a serious mistake," said Rabbis Marvin Hier and Abraham Cooper, founder and dean and associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Photo: Rabbi Marvin Hier meeting with Pope Francis in 2013
 
"The Palestinian Authority has unfortunately not shown itself willing or capable of sitting down with the Jewish state and reaching a two-state solution. Secondly, at this stage, in a best-case scenario, we are looking at a three-state solution, with Hamas, a terrorist group controlling Gaza which advocates a genocide against Jews and with its allegiance to the Muslim Brotherhood and support from Iran constitutes a threat against Christians in the Holy Land. How can there be a Palestinian State when the whole world knows that Mahmoud Abbas has not been allowed to visit his most populated city, Gaza, for more than eight years?” they concluded.

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The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino).