Pope Francis gets the Israeli and Palestinian presidents to hug, pray together
Getty Images


A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
The stalemated Israeli-Palestinian peace talks need a reboot, something different than mediation by the U.S. or U.S.-European-Russian-UN quartet. Sunday was certainly something different. In a garden behind St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Israeli President Shimon Peres, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Pope Francis, and Patriarch Bartholomew I — head of the Orthodox Christian churches — met and prayed. And the Israeli and Palestinian presidents talked privately for about 15 minutes. And embraced:
Iframe Code
The gathering — initiated by Pope Francis during his trip to Israel and Palestinian territories, and set up in the two weeks since — was studiously apolitical. And Peres, whose office is largely ceremonial, is leaving office in a few weeks. While Peres is open to peace talks with Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying, so far unsuccessfully, to isolate the Palestinian leader for forming a governing pact with Hamas.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But symbolism means a lot in a conflict as entrenched and inherently political as the Israeli-Palestinian mess. "Peacemaking calls for courage, much more so than warfare," the pope said during the ceremony. "It calls for the courage to say yes to encounter and no to conflict." At the end, Francis, Abbas, and Peres shook hands and planted an olive tree together. This never would have happened at Camp David. And that's kind of the point.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Peter Weber is a senior editor at TheWeek.com, and has handled the editorial night shift since the website launched in 2008. A graduate of Northwestern University, Peter has worked at Facts on File and The New York Times Magazine. He speaks Spanish and Italian and plays bass and rhythm cello in an Austin rock band. Follow him on Twitter.
-
How climate change is going to change the insurance industry
The Explainer Some regions will soon be 'uninsurable'
By Devika Rao Published
-
TV to watch in October, from 'Loki' to 'The Fall of the House of Usher'
The Explainer Celebrate spooky season with some eerie streaming shows
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
The best student laptops
The Week Recommends Stylish and versatile laptops to use for academic work or gaming
By The Week Staff Published
-
The United Methodist Church has lost 20% of U.S. congregations in schism over LGBTQ rules
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Pope Francis investigates Texas bishop, accepts early resignation of embattled Tennessee prelate
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Southern Baptists expel Saddleback, 2nd church over female pastors, approve further clampdown
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Thousands flock to Missouri to see body of nun who died in 2019
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Report finds nearly 2,000 kids abused by Catholic clergy in Illinois over decades
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Pope Francis is involved in 'mission' to bring peace to Ukraine
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Jewish-Muslim tensions boil over in Jerusalem
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Pope Francis hospitalized with respiratory infection
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published