POPE URGES MORE INTENSE PRAYER FOR MIDEAST, Zenit.org, Jerusalem, VATICAN CITY, MAY 31, 2004

VATICAN CITY, MAY 31, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II called for the intensification of prayer for peace in the Middle East.

It was the instruction he gave today during an audience granted to the participants in the general chapter of the Sisters of Bethlehem, of the Virgin Mary, and of St. Bruno. They are part of a religious family that arose in France in 1950 and now has some 30 contemplative convents worldwide.

The nuns came to the Vatican accompanied by monks who are also members of this religious family.

"In particular, I invite your monastic family, which bears the name of Bethlehem, the birthplace of the Emmanuel, to intensify its prayer for the Middle East, imploring the Lord to obtain the grace of peace and reconciliation for all the inhabitants of that region martyred by violence," the Pope said.

"Through your contemplative life," he said, "you raise the world to God and remind human beings of our time of the place of silence and prayer in life."

ZE04053102

email this article: http://www.zenit.org/english/send_friend/index.phtml?sid=54537

Cardinal Kasper in Jerusalem for talks , CWNews.com, Jerusalem, May. 24, 2004

Jerusalem, May. 24 (CWNews.com) - Cardinal Walter Kasper (bio - news) has arrived in Jerusalem for four days of talks with political and religious leaders. Cardinal Kasper is the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity and head of a Vatican commission for relations with Jews.

JAt the top of the agenda for Cardinal Kasper's talks with Israeli government officials will be the state's refusal to renew visas for Catholic missionaries in the Holy Land. He will also speak about the steady decline in the number of Christians living in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

JBefore his departure from Rome, Cardinal Kasper said that relations between Christians and Jews in Israel were friendly and productive. The problems that he hopes to resolve, he said, involve political rather than religious conflicts. He mentioned the visa problem, as well as difficulties regarding ownership of, and access to, Christian shrines.

JCardinal Kasper said that he would also speak with the Orthodox and Armenian patriarchs in Jerusalem during his stay there. He explained that "in this difficult stituation, it is necessary for the churches to work together." He also said that he would meet with the local Catholic community, hoping to bring them "encouragement and hope."

Cardinal Kasper visits Jerusalem, AsiaNews.it, 24 May, 2004, Vatican City

The cardinal is scheduled to discuss the issue of visas for religious and the emigration of Christians from the Holy Land.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Meetings with political and religious leaders, from Israeli president Moshe Katzav to the Jewish community's chief rabbis and heads of Christian Churches, are all scheduled to take place on Cardinal Walter Kasper’s trip to Jerusalem.

Cardinal Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity and the Commission for Relations with Jews, will begin his trip to Jerusalem in the Holy Land, today and will conclude his stay this May 28.

The Vatican prelate will take up discussion on various delicate matters such as the issue of entry visas for the Church’s religious personnel and the status of its property and institutions in the Holy Land.

The cardinal will also speak with political and religious authorities about the growing exodus of Catholic communities out of the region in the face of great difficulties.

Before departing for the Holy Land, Cardinal Kasper said during an interview on Vatican Radio that his visit must first of all encourage inter-religious relations: “We have a good commission made up of a mix of Jews and Catholics in Israeli,” he said.

Kasper added later in the interview, “There are political problems concerning visas and Christian properties (there)."

Regarding the emigration problem he said,"Young Christians still do not have much hope, and this leads to a major exodus from the region. This has caused great harm (to the community), since the Christian Church has had a strong presence for centuries in the Holy Land. If we go (there) we don’t want to be considered mere lifeless rocks, but living ones. All this must be faced and discussed.”

The cardinal will also meet with Church leaders, particularly with the patriarch of the Orthodox Church and the ecumenical patriarch “since it is necessary that (all the Christian) Churches work together in these difficult times for the peace and common good not just of the Jewish people but of the Palestinian population as well.”

“They are suffering greatly and we stand united behind them,” Kasper said.

The cardinal ended by promising, “Certainly, I will meet also with members of the Catholic community who find themselves in a difficult situation (too) and are in need of much encouragement and words of hope.”

Cardinal Kasper visits Jerusalem , CathNews.com, VATICAN CITY, MAY 25, 2004

The Vatican's Cardinal Walter Kasper is in Jerusalem to discuss the increasingly pressing issues of visas for religious and the emigration of Christians from the Holy Land.

He has secured meetings with political and religious leaders, from Israeli president Moshe Katzav to the Jewish community's chief rabbis and heads of Christian Churches.

Cardinal Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity and the Commission for Relations with Jews, began his four day visit yesterday.

The agenda includes a number of sensitive matters including the issue of entry visas for the Church’s religious personnel and the status of its property and institutions in the Holy Land.

The cardinal will also speak with political and religious authorities about the growing exodus of Catholic communities out of the region in the face of great difficulties.

Before departing for the Holy Land, Cardinal Kasper said during an interview on Vatican Radio that his visit must first of all encourage inter-religious relations: “We have a good commission made up of a mix of Jews and Catholics in Israeli,” he said.

He added later in the interview, “There are political problems concerning visas and Christian properties (there)."

With regard to the problem of emigration, he said: "Young Christians still do not have much hope, and this leads to a major exodus from the region."

SOURCE Cardinal Kasper visits Jerusalem (AsiaNews.it 24/5/04)

LINKS Cardinal Kasper travels to Jerusalem (Vatican Information Service 24/5/04)

POPE DEPLORES BLOODSHED IN HOLY LAND, Zenit.org, VATICAN CITY, MAY 24, 2004

ROME, MAY 24, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II deplored the seemingly daily bloodshed between Israelis and Palestinians that stifles chances for peace in the Holy Land.

"Unfortunately, thoughts of the Holy Land stir in our hearts concern and sorrow over the violence that continues to mark that place, because of the great quantity of innocent blood spilled by Israelis and Palestinians, which darkens the rising of a dawn of peace in justice," the Pope said.

The Holy Father's words were part of the message that was read Sunday in his name by Cardinal Camillo Ruini in the Synagogue of Rome, for the celebration of its centenary.

John Paul II implored that "the enmity will not crush with hatred those who recognize Abraham as father -- Jews, Christians and Muslims -- and make room for the clear awareness of the bonds that unite them and the responsibility that weighs on the shoulders of one another."

ZE04052405

email this article: http://www.zenit.org/english/send_friend/index.phtml?sid=54155

CARDINAL KASPER IN JERUSALEM TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS OF CATHOLICS, To Broach the Topic of Visas for Religious, Zenit.org, VATICAN CITY, MAY 24, 2004

JERUSALEM, MAY 24, 2004 (Zenit.org).- A Vatican official arrived here to promote relations and resolve problems between Christians and Jews in the Holy Land.

Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, plans to meet with Catholic communities and representatives of Judaism and the Israeli government during his visit.

The cardinal will ask about the Israeli authorities' non-issuance of visas to Catholic religious, Vatican Radio reported.

"There are political problems, which affect visas and Christian properties," he said before leaving Rome today for Jerusalem.

"Christian young people do not yet have great hope, as for many centuries a great community of Christians has been present in the Holy Land and, if we go to the Holy Land, we do not want to be considered only as dead stones but as living stones," the cardinal said. "This must all be addressed and discussed."

Cardinal Kasper said that he will meet with the heads of the other Churches and Christian confessions, in particular with the Greek-Orthodox patriarch and with the Armenian patriarch.

"In this difficult situation it is necessary that the Churches collaborate for peace and the good of the Jewish people, as well as the Palestinian people," he said. "They suffer a lot and we are in solidarity with them."

"I will also meet, of course, with the Catholic community, which finds itself in a difficult situation and needs encouragement and a message of hope," the Vatican official said.

During his stay in Jerusalem, he will meet with the Latin-rite patriarch of Jerusalem, Catholic bishops, the Custodian of the Holy Land, and superiors and members of religious institutes and congregations.

The Ecumenical Institute of Advanced Theological Studies, of Tantur, invited the cardinal to participate in a colloquium, organized by that institution with the University of Notre Dame. Cardinal Kasper will deliver a talk entitled "Forgiveness and Purification of the Memory." The cardinal's visit ends Friday.

ZE04052406

email this article: http://www.zenit.org/english/send_friend/index.phtml?sid=54156

Cardinal backs Iraq mission, condemns Israeli action , CWNews.com, Rome, May. 21, 2004

Rome, May. 21 (CWNews.com) - Cardinal Roberto Tucci believes that it would be "unreasonable" to withdraw coalition troops from Iraq.

Interviewed on Vatican radio on May 20, Cardinal Tucci-- whose acquaintance with international diplomacy was broadened during his years as "advance man" for papal travel-- said that an immediate withdrawal would be "a sign of disinterest in the rights of the Iraqi people," because of "the difficulty of the situation, and the danger of a civil war."

The Jesuit prelate, who is now the president of Vatican Radio, made his comments after the Italian parliament voted to maintain a troop presence in Iraq. He added, however, that he hoped the UN would approve a resolution authorizing other nations to participate in the peacekeeping process. Cardinal Tucci observed that the situation might be improved by the addition of troops from moderate Arab nations such as Egypt and Jordan.

Speaking more generally about affairs in the Middle East, Cardinal Tucci then lashed out at the "pitiless activity" of Israel, particularly in a military operation that destroyed dozens of Palestinian homes in the Gaza Strip this week. At least 20 Palestinians were killed in the operation, and the cardinal characterized their deaths as "voluntary manslaughter."

Noting that Yasser Arafat called the Gaza operation "an enormous massacre," and the Islamic group Hamas appealed to the Arab world for assistance against Israeli military power, Cardinal Tucci said that Israel's strong-arm tactics enflame anti-Israeli sentiments, and those in turn can lead to anti-Semitism, "which it is imperative to avoid."

The deaths in Gaza are not unrelated to the situation in Iraq, Cardinal Tucci argued. He said that "the more severe Israel is in its methods to solve its own security problems, the greater the danger in Iraq and in the Arab world, because Israeli military actions push Islamic public opinion ever close to fundamentalist, and even terrorist, forms of Islam."

POPE ENCOURAGES PILGRIMAGES TO HOLY LAND, Arab Christians Continue to Exit Occupied Territories, Zenit.org, VATICAN CITY, MAY 20, 2004

VATICAN CITY, MAY 20, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II encouraged "pilgrimages of peace" to the Holy Land to express solidarity to the local Christian community.

In the address today to the general assembly of the Italian bishops' conference, the Pope applauded the initiative adopted last year by Italian dioceses to promote "pilgrimages of peace to the Holy Land."

"Many of you have visited personally those places, taking numerous pilgrims with you. It is also a strong sign of closeness and solidarity for the Christian communities that live there and that are in great need of your help," the Holy Father said.

This year, Italian pilgrims have been going in greater numbers to the Holy Land thanks to the organization of the Roman Society for Pilgrimages, an institution under the Rome Diocese, as well as of other dioceses and religious congregations.

Over the past 11 months, an additional 2,000 Arab Christians have left the Holy Land, including 1,000 from Bethlehem, according to information received by the Rome Diocese.

Twenty years ago, Arab Christians in the Occupied Territories numbered close to 100,000. Today they number some 60,000, despite the growth of the overall Arab population.

Pilgrimages are a key source of income for some Christians in the Holy Land, which has been in turmoil since the outbreak of the second intifada.

Among the initiatives of the Roman Society for Pilgrimages, 15 Italian athletes, together with 15 Israelis and 15 Palestinians, took part in the peace marathon April 23 between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, carrying a torch blessed by the Pope.

In a theological-pastoral congress held in February by the Roman Society for Pilgrimages, the administrator delegate of this institution, Monsignor Liberio Andreatta, called for a "Marshall Plan" of pilgrimages to rescue the economy of the Holy Land.

ZE04052005

email this article: http://www.zenit.org/english/send_friend/index.phtml?sid=53986

POPE LAMENTS "UNACCEPTABLE VIOLENCE" IN MIDEAST, Zenit.org, VATICAN CITY, MAY 17, 2004

VATICAN CITY, MAY 17, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II encouraged the commitment to peace in the Middle East and denounced the "unacceptable violence" that bloodies the region.

"I pray to God to support the efforts for peace of all men of good will, in particular in the Middle East, so scourged by unacceptable violence," the Pope said Saturday when receiving in audience Lebanese President Emile Lahoud.

After referring to his "happy memory" of his apostolic visit to Lebanon, the Holy Father assured the president that he prays that God will help "all the Lebanese to consolidate the unity of their nation, in concord and respect of all who constitute it."

Lahoud was in Rome to attend Sunday's canonization of Nimatullah Kassab Al-Hardini (1808-1858), a priest of the Lebanese Maronite Order.

"I hope the canonization of a son of your land will be for your citizens an example of fraternal life," John Paul II said. ZE04051720

email this article: http://www.zenit.org/english/send_friend/index.phtml?sid=53780

JOHN PAUL II RENEWS APPEAL FOR PRAYERS FOR PEACE IN MIDEAST Receives Proposal for Iraq From Italian Group, Zenit.org, VATICAN CITY, MAY 12, 2004

VATICAN CITY, MAY 12, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II again appealed for prayers for peace in the world, especially in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East.

The Pope made his appeal at the end of today's general audience in St. Peter's Square, when he received a peace plan for Iraq presented by Franco Vaccari, founder of the Rondine, Italy-based Citadel of Peace, an institution that aims to foster dialogue among the world's youth.

When presenting the proposal, Vaccari, 52, a Catholic psychologist who is married and father of four, was accompanied by four bishops of the Tuscany region of central Itay, as well as by the superior general of the Camaldolese Congregation of the Order of St. Benedict, and the superior of the Franciscan Shrine of La Verna.

"I renew the invitation to pray for peace in the world, especially in Iraq and the Middle East," the Holy Father said when greeting his visitors.

"May those beloved populations be able, with the support of the international community, to walk with determination on the path of reconciliation, dialogue and cooperation," he said.

The first stage of the Citadel of Peace plan for Iraq is a Day of Prayer, which will be held May 21 in the La Verna shrine, located on the mountain in which St. Francis of Assisi received the stigmata. It calls for the participation of Christians of all confessions, as well as of leading Jewish and Muslim authorities in Italy.

"If we aspire to great things," Vaccari said, "it is necessary to realize again that we are creatures, children of the same Father, with a more humble and penitential attitude."

A second stage will be the signing this month of "a joint political commitment" by politicians and cultural leaders calling for "the creation of a Euro-Mediterranean military force to involve countries that at present are outside the war."

"It is clear today that one cannot flee from Iraq or stay there at any price, nor request the participation of the U.N., weakening its role, as now it cannot do what it is being asked to do," Vaccari said.

"It is necessary to replace the forces in the area," he told the Italian newspaper Avvenire. "Those who defeated the regime ... are perceived as a force of occupation. Europe must now play an active role, together with the Arab countries. It is illusory to wait for June 30. It is better to impose oneself soonest on the inertia and to propose new ways."

According to Vaccari, this plan "is the negation of any form of anti-Americanism. We seek to return to sit at the table, to plan the future with the objective of achieving peace as soon as possible."

It is the opportunity, he said, to see "who really seeks peace or who pursues other interests."

ZE04051204

email this article: http://www.zenit.org/english/send_friend/index.phtml?sid=53508

Papal prayers for peace in Iraq, Middle East , CWNews.com, Vatican, May. 12

Vatican, May. 12 (CWNews.com) - Pope John Paul II (bio - news) called the faith to prayer for "peace in the world, especially in Iraq and the Near East," during his regular weekly audience on May 12.

Speaking to about 15,000 people in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father remarked that tomorrow, May 13, will be the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. "I exhort you all to turn constantly to Our Lady, in faith, trusting her with your every need," he said. He stressed his own prayer that the embattled peoples of the Middle East would "begin moving decisively along the paths of reconciliation, dialogue, and cooperation."

A Christian should never give in to despair, the Pope said. His catechetical talk for the Wednesday audience was on Psalm 29, which tells of God's triumph over death. That psalm, the Pope said, "teaches us that we must never be caught up in the dark confusion of despair, in which everything seems to be lost." On the other hand, the believer must also guard against complacency, and the mistaken belief that he can save himself through his own power, the Pope continued.

Pope John Paul-- who had some difficulty forming words as he spoke-- ended the audience with greetings to the crowd, in Italian, French, English. Spanish, German, Dutch, Croatian, Slovak, Polish, and Portuguese. He offered his special recognition to visitors from the NATO War College, urging them to redouble their efforts to ensure "peace and international security." And he also singled out a group of Polish children who were making their First Communion at the parish of St. Stanislaw in Rome. "May they learn to love Jesus with all their lives and with Our Lady's help may they persevere in the faith," he prayed.

VATICAN AIDE SUGGESTS A PATH TO DEAL WITH MIDEAST STRIFE, Cardinal Tauran Urges Efforts at International Level, Zenit.org, NEW YORK, MAY 9, 2004

NEW YORK, MAY 9, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Solving the crisis in Iraq and the Middle East requires a return to the realm of international law, says Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran.

The former Vatican secretary for relations with states, and currently the archivist and librarian of the Holy Roman Church, was in New York to receive an honorary doctorate and to attend several debates on the international situation.

"As could be foreseen, it is much more difficult to manage the postwar period than the war itself," the cardinal said.

"Now it is a question of fostering a return to normality, to sovereignty, trying to give the Iraqi people the possibility to express themselves on their future and, therefore, to restore to international law and to the international community the role that corresponds to them," he explained.

In statements on Vatican Radio, Cardinal Tauran also commented about the reports of U.S. soldiers torturing Iraqi prisoners.

"They are deplorable events," he said. "It must be recalled, moreover, that there is a 'jus in bello' [law in war] which does not allow to do just anything in times of war."

"What is important is to remember the dignity of the person," the cardinal observed. "The Geneva Conventions exist which give the essential references to solve these problems. What is true is that the picture has a great impact on Arab public opinion and now it is possible to fear reactions that are not always moderate."

"Much prudence is needed now and, obviously, it is necessary to punish those responsible for this mistreatment," he said.

To restore the sovereignty of the Iraqi people, Cardinal Tauran suggested "giving all the components of Iraqi society the possibility to express themselves and the international community the opportunity to support a process of internal dialogue in Iraqi society."

He added that the "lack of a solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is the mother of all the crises."

"Once this crisis is resolved, the rest will be resolved," he said. "It is a problem of international justice, which must be resolved in keeping with the dictates of international law and the United Nations resolution. It is necessary to return to international legality."

ZE04050922

email this article: http://www.zenit.org/english/send_friend/index.phtml?sid=53317

Tensions mark Israel, Vatican relations , Catholic News 10 MAY, 2004

As they approach the 10th anniversary of their formal diplomatic relations next month, diplomatic tensions between the Holy See and Israel are mounting.

Under the terms of the Fundamental Accord, an economic accord was to have been signed by the end of 1995. But the two sides have not yet reached an agreement on the terms of that accord, which could be critical to the survival of the Christian communities in the Holy Land. The accord involves tax-exempt status for Christian congregations and mission facilities.

In July 2003, Israeli foreign-affairs minister Silvan Shalom announced that the economic pact would be concluded within a few months. But one month after that public announcement, Israeli representatives withdrew from active negotiations.

In April of this year, the Israeli ambassador to the Holy See, Oded Ben-Hur, signaled a desire to renew those negotiations in June, with an eye to finalising the pact by the end of 2005 - a full decade later than foreseen in the Fundamental Accord.

Last Tuesday, Ambassador Ben-Hur visited Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, the Secretary for Relations with States, to make a formal announcement of his government's hopes to conclude the economic pact on the 10th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

At the Vatican, informed officials are viewing the Israeli declaration with caution. "It's a promise-- one more promise," said one official. "We're happy with the promise, but we'll be watching carefully to see if it's followed by action."

A major point of contention between the two sides is Israel's decision to stop renewing the visas of Catholic missionaries in the Holy Land. Hundreds of missionaries are now facing possible expulsion because of the policy, which Church officials see as violating the Israeli promise to cooperate with Church missionary activities.

SOURCE Tensions mark relations between Vatican, Israel (Catholic World News 7/5/04)

REOPENING OF ISRAELI-VATICAN TALKS IS POSSIBLE, Zenit.org, JERUSALEM, MAY 7, 2004

JERUSALEM, MAY 7, 2004 (Zenit.org).- The superior of the Custody of the Holy Land says that the reopening of talks between Israel and the Holy See would encourage pilgrimages and improve the situation of Christians.

Franciscan Father Giovanni Battistelli was reacting to Israeli press reports that said talks are under way on such issues as the granting of visas to priests and religious, and the restitution of the Cenacle.

"If the news published by Israeli newspapers is confirmed, of the opening of negotiations between Israel and the Holy See, it would certainly help the renewal of pilgrimages in the Holy Land and improve the conditions of Christians," Father Battistelli said.

In statements published by the Italian bishops' news agency SIR, the custodian said: "I hope the negotiations can begin again as soon as possible."

He also hopes that the "room of the Cenacle," located on Mount Zion in Jerusalem and surrounded by rabbinical seminaries, will be restored to the Catholic Church.

The Tel Aviv newspaper Maariv quoted a source at the Foreign Affairs Ministry who said the government might start on a new path with the Holy See.

According to the newspaper, U.S. President George W. Bush, who faces an election this year, asked Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon last month "to accelerate the transactions."

ZE04050724

email this article: http://www.zenit.org/english/send_friend/index.phtml?sid=53258

Tensions mark relations between Vatican, Israel , CWNews.com, 7 May 2004

Vatican, May. 07 (CWNews.com) - Diplomatic tensions between the Holy See and Israel are mounting, even as they approach the 10th anniversary of their formal diplomatic relations.

On June 15, the Vatican and Israel will mark the 10th anniversary of their establishment of full diplomatic relations. But an accompanying economic pact-- which was foreseen in by the historic "Fundamental Accord" signed by the two parties in December 1993, paving the way for diplomatic relations-- remains unsigned.

Under the terms of the Fundamental Accord, an economic accord was to have been signed by the end of 1995. But the two sides have not yet reached an agreement on the terms of that accord, which could be critical to the survival of the Christian communities in the Holy Land. The accord involves tax-exempt status for Christian congregations and mission facilities.

In July 2003, Israeli foreign-affairs minister Silvan Shalom announced that the economic pact would be concluded within a few months. But one month after that public announcement, Israeli representatives withdrew from active negotiations. In April of this year, the Israeli ambassador to the Holy See, Oded Ben-Hur, signaled a desire to renew those negotiations in June, with an eye to finalizing the pact by the end of 2005-- a full decade later than foreseen in the Fundamental Accord. Ambassador Ben-Hur visited on May 4 with Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, the Secretary for Relations with States, to make a formal announcement of his government's hopes to conclude the economic pact on the 10th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

At the Vatican, informed officials are viewing the Israeli declaration with caution. "It's a promise-- one more promise," said one official. "We're happy with the promise, but we'll be watching carefully to see if it's followed by action."

The Vatican's relations with Israel have been marked by difficult negotiations in the past. On November 10, 1997, the two parties signed another long-awaited agreement, regarding the legal status of Christian institutions in the Holy Land. When that pact was signed, Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls lamented "the interruption of negotiations on other points"-- apparently referring to the economic agreement.

Another point of contention between the two sides is the Israel decision to stop renewing the visas of Catholic missionaries in the Holy Land. Hundreds of missionaries are now facing possible expulsion because of this policy-- which, in the eyes of Church officials, clearly violates the Israeli promise to cooperate with Church missionary activities.

On this issue, too, the Israeli government has recently promised corrective action. After a public protest to the daily newspaper Ha'aretz by Father David Jaeger, a spokesman for the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, prime minister Ariel Sharon announced that he would create a new commission to resolve the visa problems. In Rome, Ambassador Ben-Hur said his government was taking "a new attitude, a real change of direction." But again, the Vatican is still waiting for the promise to be fulfilled by effective action.

The visa problem stems from the desire of Israeli leaders to exclude visitors-- including Catholic missionaries-- who come from countries that are regarded as "enemies" of the Israeli state, such as Syria and Lebanon. Vatican officials strongly argue that this Israeli policy should not prevent the issuance of visas for missionaries, for several reasons. Most of the missionaries caught up in the dispute do not come from the "enemy" countries. Representatives of the Holy See quickly concede that Israel has the right to maintain a list of countries whose residents cannot stay in Israel-- provided that (as one Vatican official put it) "they don't put Catholics on their list of enemies." Furthermore, Church leaders point out that when a missionary enters the Holy Land, both his religious superior and the papal nuncio in Jerusalem sign a pledge assuming responsibility for his conduct. Yet another cause of tensions between the Vatican and Israel is the "security wall" through Palestinian territory, which one official characterized as "a problem for everyone." Religious congregations have complained about the difficulties caused by the wall, which cuts off communities and makes traffic across Palestinian territory difficult and sometimes impossible. But the same Church spokesmen also point out that in this respect, missionaries are only suffering the same severe inconveniences as the entire Palestinian population.

On another level, however, the "security wall" can be seen as a fresh violation of the Fundamental Accord. In Article 4 of that agreement, the Israeli government pledged to "continue to respect and protect the character of the Catholic holy places," including churches, monasteries, convents, and cemeteries, and to allow free access to them. The security wall impedes access to many shrines, and Church officials point out that the construction of "a military structure" like the wall changes the character of the religious sites nearby. Furthermore, some religious congregations were forced to move in order to make room for the construction of the wall, others have seen their lands split by the wall, and still others have been cut off from the people they served. The tense relations between the Vatican and the Israeli government are important for Christians outside the Catholic faith. Since the Holy See has sovereign international status-- unlike any other Christian religious entity-- the Catholic Church often serves as a sort of spokesman for the aspirations of all Christians regarding the Holy Land.