The Vatican has completed a treaty in which it will recognize the State of Palestine; details to come.

The Vatican statement:  very brief.  If Francis does nothing else, this should be celebrated in helping to bring an end to the Israeli Occupation.

Will it encourage other nations to do the same? Probably not our own:

On "May 8 Obama told several of his interlocutors that he had decided, despite it all, to cast a veto on the French proposal regarding the Middle East conflict (for a UN resolution on Palestinian statehood), if and when it comes to a discussion and vote in the UN Security Council. This is despite recent assessments that the Americans had decided not to cast such a veto."  Al Monitor  (This report by an Israeli journalist is quite good on the dysfuntional U.S.-Israeli relationship.)

Could Obama use Francis for cover? Or will the U.S. become the outlier nation as others recognize Palestine?