Just days before Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is due to visit Rome and the Vatican has agreed the text for its first treaty formally recognising the State of Palestine.<br /><br /> Papal politics: Vatican document uses term 'state of Palestine' for first time in history http://t.co/XeltLmuWSq pic.twitter.com/Zvw2M031If— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) May 13, 2015<br /> <br /><br /> The document which will be signed shortly constitutes an official diplomatic acknowledgment. It has been welcomed by Senior Palestinian officials such as Hanan Ashrawi:<br /><br /> “We are indeed extremely encouraged by the Vatican recognition of the state of Palestine. We also see this as a very positive development, not just politically but in moral terms, human terms, in legal terms and it prepares for a whole new era in which Palestine will be seen by the whole world as a state.”<br /><br /> The Vatican’s announcement comes amid growing momentum to recognise Palestinian statehood. Over the last year the European Parliament as well as the UK,
