THE VATICAN AND THE PALESTINIAN-ISRAELI DISPUTE: THE ROLE OF JOHN PAUL IIS DIALOGUE WITH ISLAM AND JUDAISM IN RESOLVING THE CONFLICT

ASince the beginning of its involvement in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict the Holy See has always advocated the consolidation of peace through justice. Following the policy outlined by the Vatican II, and especially after Paul VI's encyclical Populorum Progressio, that advocacy evolved into a decisive stand. The moral conviction of John Paul II that the security of one nation, namely the Israelis, could not be established by the violation of the rights of the other one, i.e., the Palestinians, became the foundation of the Holy See's official position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during his pontificate. While discussing both the initiatives and the documents related to John Paul II's active involvement in the search for a just solution to the conflict, the paper focuses on the Pope's determination to pursue the path of religious reconciliation between the followers of Judaism, Christianity and Islam that could eventually lead to a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and bring political stability in the Middle East.