Micheál Martin in Rome: Two-state solution in Middle East still possible

Taoiseach holds 45-minute meeting with Pope Leo XIV and also meets Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni ahead of Ireland holding EU presidency

Taoiseach Micheál Martin meets with Pope Leo on a state visit to the Vatican.

The Taoiseach has said a two-State solution is still "possible" after discussing the Middle East with the Pope.

Micheál Martin said both men had discussed Israel's ongoing attacks on Palestinians during a 45-minute meeting in the Vatican with Pope Leo XIV.

After the meeting, Mr Martin said both men spoke generally about the Middle East, "in terms of what will it take to get a proper peace process in place, and particularly in terms of the humanitarian situation facing the people of Gaza and the West Bank and Lebanon".

"I made the point to him that what enabled us to achieve peace on the island of Ireland was that there was a fundamental political will on all sides, and that seems to be absent in the Middle East, but that is the fundamental prerequisite for peace.

"He was interested in that, and I get the sense that the Pope was really very anxious to try and get the world to move in a different direction to the one that's moving in at the moment, which is one of increasing conflict and war, which is having terrible effects on people."

Asked about the future of the region, Mr Martin said he believes a two-state solution is still "possible" but it will be "challenging".

"Most countries we're speaking to in Europe see any annexation of the West Bank as a red line issue for them, in terms of that's a no-go area for Israel, although we've seen that Israel can behave almost with impunity, and it doesn't seem to be too concerned about what European nations think, or for that matter, many others, so.

"If there's creeping annexation of territories and displacement of Palestinians from their homeland, that does create huge barriers to a functioning, properly functioning two-state solution. 

"And even in Gaza, at the moment, Israel is controlling up to about 60% of the territory in Gaza."

Mr Martin added: "The situation has changed on the ground, but that doesn't in any way invalidate the Palestinian right to a homeland and the Palestinian right to a state."

Mr Martin also met Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Friday afternoon as part of a series of meetings with leaders ahead of Ireland taking up the EU presidency in July.