National Catholic Register, Michele Chabin: In mid-January, the Palestinians fulfilled a dream: opening an embassy at the Holy See.
The Vatican has informally recognized Palestine as a state since November 2012, following a United Nations vote that recognized it as a non-member observer state. Furthermore, Pope Francis referred to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as the “president of Palestine” during the Holy Father’s 2014 Holy Land pilgrimage.
But it was not until June 2015 that the Vatican signed a treaty, known as the “Global Agreement,” that acknowledged the “State of Palestine” as an official entity. More here.
