An agreement signed last year making official the Vatican's de facto 2012 recognition of "Palestine," has come into effect, the Holy See said on Saturday.
The Vatican signed its first treaty with the "State of Palestine" last June when it called for moves to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and backed a two-state solution.
"The 'Holy' See and the State of Palestine have notified each other that the procedural requirements for [the accord's] entry into force have been fulfilled," the Vatican said in a statement on Saturday.
The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution in 2012 recognizing the Palestinian Authority as a nonmember observer state. This was welcomed at the time by the Vatican, which has the same nonmember observer status at the United Nations.
In October 2014, Sweden acknowledged the State of Palestine, a decision that drew condemnation from Israel and led to tense relations between the two countries.
Israel has previously called the Vatican accord a hasty move that could damage prospects for advancing a peace agreement and impact its future diplomatic relations with the Vatican.
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Our Comment: The unholy see brings herself under God's curse! (again)
