Palestinian representative to Holy See on Pope’s speech to diplomats

The Representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to the Holy See, Mr. Chawki Armali, was among diplomats in the Vatican Monday for Pope Benedict’s annual address to the diplomatic corps.

In an interview with Vatican Radio’s Tracey McClure, Mr. Armali reacted positively to Pope Benedict XVI’s comments about the renewed, Jordan-brokered peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.

“He was very (hopeful) that these negotiations could go again so that all the parties will have their rights and their right to have their own state,” Mr. Amali said. “This was a very good statement.”

In the interview, the PLO representative laments what he sees as obstacles to effective peace negotiations: on-going Israeli “settlement policy” and the appropriation of Palestinian land in East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians hope one day to make their capitol. Listen to Tracey McClure’s interview with Mr Armali: