Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, met on Saturday with Pope Benedict XVI, granted him a Palestinian Passport, and invited him to visit Jerusalem and the Holy sites in Palestine.
Abbas informed the Pope, during the 30-minutes Vatican meeting in Rome, on the situation in the Palestinian territories, the latest developments on the peace track and the efforts exerted in this direction.
Also, Abbas told the Pope that Israel is continuing the construction of the Separation Wall in the occupied territories, and did not stop its violations against the people and their lands.
After the meeting, the two held a wider meeting with the participation of the Palestinian Prime minister Nabil Shaath, Palestinian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ziad Al Bandak, Abdullah Abdullah director of the P.A Foreign Ministry, Nimir Hammad, head of the Palestinian representative office in Rome, and Nabil Abu Rodeina, the official spokesperson of the president.
Abbas also held a meeting with Cardinal Sodano, Secretary of State in Rome, and informed him of the latest developments.
On Friday, Abbas held several meetings with Italian officials and discussed the situation in the occupied territories and the Palestinian-Italian relationships.
