Abbas visits Pope

rome - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Saturday in Rome met with the pope. Abbas was in Rome to open a Palestinian embassy to the Holy See. A year ago Palestine as an independent state recognized by the mini-state Vatican. During his visit to the Pope, Abbas said he hoped that other countries will recognize Palestine as an independent country.

The visit of the Pope is the day before the international peace conference in Paris, where more than seventy countries participating. From America comes the outgoing US Secretary of State, John Kerry. Koenders Sunday also takes part in the peace conference, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the meeting earlier ' a Palestinian sham led by France '.