Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, with both sides stressing the urgent need to end the war in Gaza and pursue a two-state solution.

Editor's note: Moses Becker is a special commentator on political issues for News.Az, a PhD in political science and an expert on interethnic and interreligious relations. The article expresses the personal opinion of the author and may not coincide with the view of News.Az.

The United States has denied Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas a visa to attend next month’s United Nations General Assembly in New York, affecting him and about 80 other Palestinian officials. The decision comes as several U.S. allies, including Britain, France, Australia, and Canada, plan to formally recognize Palestine as a state.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev congratulated his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas on the occasion of his country’s national holiday.

"Our people are loyal to their homeland and will drive out the invaders from their lands, no matter the cost," Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said during a speech at the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, News.az reports.