Pope: 'Recognizing rights of all people in Holy Land essential'

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis, speaking to Palestinians ahead of President Donald Trump's announcement on Jerusalem, said on Wednesday "recognizing the rights of all people" in the Holy Land is a primary condition for dialogue.

The pope, who spoke to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about the crisis on Tuesday, made his comments to a group of visiting Palestinians involved in inter-religious dialogue with the Vatican.

"The Holy Land is for us Christians the land par excellence of dialogue between God and mankind," he said, speaking of dialogue between religions "and also in civil society".

"The primary condition of that dialogue is reciprocal respect and a commitment to strengthening that respect, for the sake of recognizing the rights of all people, wherever they happen to be," he said.