HOLY SEE REITERATES CONCERNS FOR HOLY LAND, IRAQ AND AFRICA Vatican Official Addresses Debate at U.N. , NEW YORK, SEPT. 30, 2004 (Zenit.org).

NEW YORK, SEPT. 30, 2004 (Zenit.org).- The conflict in the Holy Land, the war in Iraq, and the violence in Africa are sources of particular concern for the Holy See in the international scene.

Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, Vatican secretary for relations with states, expressed these concerns Wednesday when addressing the U.N. General Assembly. He noted that it was first time the Holy See had done so "since the resolution of last July 1 which formalized and specified the rights and prerogatives of its status as a permanent observer, a status which the Holy See has enjoyed since 1964."

In a lengthy address, the papal representative began by analyzing the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.

"Above all, there is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which dominated the whole of the second half of the last century," he said. "This conflict is not simply contained within the narrow territorial boundaries of the region itself. Those directly involved are the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority, and they have the grave duty to demonstrate their desire for peace."

"With this end in view, a 'road map' has been drawn up and formally accepted by both parties," he added. "May they proceed along it with determination and courage!"

"But the conflict is also followed with intense interest and often with passion by large sections of humanity," Archbishop Lajolo continued.

"The Catholic Church, present in Palestine for 2,000 years, invites everyone to turn their backs on any action likely to destroy confidence, and to utter generous words of peace and make bold gestures of peace," he said.

"And if peace is the fruit of justice, let it not be forgotten -- as Pope John Paul II has reminded us -- that there can be no justice without forgiveness. Indeed, without mutual forgiveness. This clearly requires greater moral courage than the use of arms," the archbishop added.

Monsignor Lajolo spoke of the Iraqi conflict, to remind the assembly of the Holy See's opposition to the U.S.-led military intervention.

"The position of the Holy See concerning the military action of 2002-2003 is well known," he said. "Everyone can see that it did not lead to a safer world either inside or outside Iraq."

"The Holy See believes it is now imperative to support the present government in its efforts to bring the country to normality and to a political system that is substantially democratic and in harmony with the values of its historic traditions," the prelate added.

The Holy See is also "gravely concerned about various African countries Sudan, Somalia, the countries in the Great Lakes region, Ivory Coast, etc., scarred by bloodshed arising from mutual conflicts and even more from internal strife. They need active international solidarity. More specifically, and connaturally, the African Union needs to intervene authoritatively so as to bring all legitimate interested parties around a negotiating table."

He added: "The African Union has already demonstrated its ability to act successfully in some cases. It deserves recognition and support."

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HOLY LAND AND IRAQ NEED DIALOGUE, NOT STRIFE, SAYS POPE Receives Egypt's New Ambassador to the Holy See, VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 19, 2004 (Zenit.org)

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 19, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II says that the solution to the conflicts occurring in Iraq, the Holy Land and countries scourged by terrorism is dialogue, not violence.

The Pope repeated the Vatican's position in the complex international scene, when he received the letters of credence of Egypt's new ambassador to the Holy See, career diplomat Nevine Simaika Halim.

"As the Holy See does not fail to remind in these convulsive times, there will only be lasting pacification in international relations if the will to dialogue prevails over the logic of confrontation," the Holy Father said Saturday.

"Whether in Iraq, where the return to civil peace seems so difficult to establish; or in the Holy Land, sadly disfigured by an endless conflict that is fueled by hatred and reciprocal desires for vengeance; or in other countries martyred by the terrorism which strikes the innocent so cruelly; violence reveals its horror everywhere and shows itself incapable of resolving conflicts," the Pope said.

"It does not produce anything good; only hatred, destruction and death," he said.

Because of this, John Paul II appealed to leaders "of the international community to foster a return to reason and negotiation, the only possible way out of the conflicts among men, as all peoples have the right to live in serenity and peace."

In her address to the Pope, the ambassador expressed Egypt's confidence in "your positive contributions in the face of the tragic events in the Holy Land and Iraq."

She said that "a human and civilized globalization, capable of treating peoples equally, could be the bearer of tolerance, exchanges and riches."

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Minister Poraz: some improvements, but problems persist with the Holy See, 17 September, 2004 VATICAN - ISRAEL (AsiaNews)

Rome (AsiaNews) -- The meeting of Tuesday, September 14, with Angelo Cardinal Sodano, Secretary of State, revolved around problems concerning visas, tax measures for the Church in Israel and the ownership of the Cenacle in Jerusalem: this is what Avraham Poraz himself, Israeli Interior Minister told AsiaNews, while on visit to Vatican City on the eve of the Jewish New Year. In the afternoon of the same day, the minister also paid a brief call on Pope John Paul II at Castel Gandolfo.

"The visa problem -- the minister explained to AsiaNews -- has been the source of many complaints in the past. For a visa to be issued, authorization was required from another ministry, that of Religious Affairs. The process was complicated and did not work. Now, at the request of Prime Minister Sharon, visas depend on the Interior Ministry alone and this has speeded up the process and improved service. The only difficulty left is for people arriving from countries hostile to Israel (Saudi Arabia, other Arab countries, etc...) who are subject to screenings and can be denied entry. The Vatican says: but we know these people! And so we ask the Vatican to vouch for them. By doing so, the whole question will be greatly simplified. The Holy Said has said that is is prepared to do this. In this way, someone takes responsibility for these people. I think, therefore, that the visa question is all but resolved."

Tax exemptions for religious intitutions was another question discussed in Tuesday's meeting. The minister explained that measures for tax exemptions date back to the British Mandate. The question of tax measures is part of the agenda for the implementation of the Fundamental Agreement between Israel and the Holy See. "According to our laws -- Poraz explained -- places of worship (churches, synagogues, etc.) are exempt from taxes. If these institutions include shops or offer accomodations for a fee, then taxes can be levied. The only outstanding problem is concerning monasteries, where religious communities are housed. I have decided that they should not pay taxes, but pay only for municipal services, such as cleaning, sewage, water, etc. Municipalities need these taxes because otherwise they would not be able to offer such services."

Another matter mentioned by Poraz concerns the ownership of the Cenacle, once a property of the Franciscans, then of the Muslims and now of the Israeli government. On the occasion of John Paul II's visit to the Holy Sites in the Holy Land, there had been talk of the possibility of returning the place of Jesus' Last Supper to the Church.

Poraz said that "the problem today is a disagreement among the various Churches on who is to take possession of it. And Israel cannot enter into this disagreement. The Orthodox Church and Armenian Church have the right to pray there, together with the Franciscans. There are problems with the use of all the Holy Sites, but these are settled by the rules of the Status Quo. There are no such rules for the Cenacle. Everyone is expecting a decision from Israel, but there is no concrete decision yet."

Holy See - Israel: 10 years later, the problems still to be resolved , 17 September, 2004 VATICAN - ISRAEL (AsiaNews)

Rome (AsiaNews) - The meeting of Tuesday, September 14, with Angelo Cardinal Sodano, Secretary of State, revolved around problems concerning visas, tax measures for the Church in Israel and the ownership of the Cenacle in Jerusalem: this is what Avraham Poraz himself, Israeli Interior Minister told AsiaNews, while on visit to Vatican City on the eve of the Jewish New Year. In the afternoon of the same day, the minister also paid a brief call on Pope John Paul II at Castel Gandolfo.

"The visa problem -- the minister explained to AsiaNews -- has been the source of many complaints in the past. For a visa to be issued, authorization was required from another ministry, that of Religious Affairs. The process was complicated and did not work. Now, at the request of Prime Minister Sharon, visas depend on the Interior Ministry alone and this has speeded up the process and improved service. The only difficulty left is for people arriving from countries hostile to Israel (Saudi Arabia, other Arab countries, etc...) who are subject to screenings and can be denied entry. The Vatican says: but we know these people! And so we ask the Vatican to vouch for them. By doing so, the whole question will be greatly simplified. The Holy Said has said that is is prepared to do this. In this way, someone takes responsibility for these people. I think, therefore, that the visa question is all but resolved."

Tax exemptions for religious intitutions was another question discussed in Tuesday's meeting. The minister explained that measures for tax exemptions date back to the British Mandate. The question of tax measures is part of the agenda for the implementation of the Fundamental Agreement between Israel and the Holy See. "According to our laws -- Poraz explained -- places of worship (churches, synagogues, etc.) are exempt from taxes. If these institutions include shops or offer accomodations for a fee, then taxes can be levied. The only outstanding problem is concerning monasteries, where religious communities are housed. I have decided that they should not pay taxes, but pay only for municipal services, such as cleaning, sewage, water, etc. Municipalities need these taxes because otherwise they would not be able to offer such services."

Another matter mentioned by Poraz concerns the ownership of the Cenacle, once a property of the Franciscans, then of the Muslims and now of the Israeli government. On the occasion of John Paul II's visit to the Holy Sites in the Holy Land, there had been talk of the possibility of returning the place of Jesus' Last Supper to the Church.

Poraz said that "the problem today is a disagreement among the various Churches on who is to take possession of it. And Israel cannot enter into this disagreement. The Orthodox Church and Armenian Church have the right to pray there, together with the Franciscans. There are problems with the use of all the Holy Sites, but these are settled by the rules of the Status Quo. There are no such rules for the Cenacle. Everyone is expecting a decision from Israel, but there is no concrete decision yet."

Vatican presses visiting Israeli leader on pact, Vatican, Sep. 17(CWNews.com)

Israeli interior minister Avraham Poraz was in Rome this week for talks with Vatican officials to ease a labyrinthine visa applications faced each year by church personnel working in Israel.

Poraz met the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, and the Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo. Later he travelled to Castel Gandalfo for a brief meeting with Pope John Paul II.

It is hoped that the pact between Israel and the Holy See will also give control of the Cenacle of Jerusalem - scene of Jesus' last supper - to Christian groups.

Negotiations between Church representatives and Israeli officials resumed in Jerusalem last week, after a break of nearly a year following an unexpected Israeli withdrawal from the talks. After a further break, the Israelis have promised to return to the bargaining table in October.

Against that backdrop, the visit to Rome by the Israeli cabinet minister suggested a new bid to speed negotiations, given the interior minister has jurisdiction over the Vatican's key concerns. After the meeting between Poraz and Cardinal Sodano, the Vatican issued an official statement confirming that the negotiations had figured prominently in the talks.

Zenit reports that a statement from the Vatican suggests that Cardinal Sodano had pushed to control the agenda at Tuesday's meeting, insisting on a specific consideration of Vatican concerns rather than a general discussion of public affairs in the Middle East.

The statement reported that Cardinal Sodano had observed that "the positions of the Holy See on peace, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in general, on the situation in the Middle East were well-known to the Israeli government." Therefore, rather than repeating those points, Cardinal Sodano "suggested that today's meeting focus on the questions of the minister's jurisdiction."

Israel-Vatican talks: points of contention , Jerusalem, Sep. 17 (AsiaNews)

Jerusalem, Sep. 17 (AsiaNews) - After meetings with Vatican officials, a key Israeli government leader has said that diplomatic problems between the Holy See and Israel will soon be resolved. But an Israeli Catholic priest who has been involved in negotiations has told the AsiaNews service that some serious obstacles remain.

Israeli interior minister Avraham Poraz met on September 15 with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano (bio - news), and the Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo. Their talks involved some of the key issues that have stalled a full diplomatic accord between Israel and the Holy See, even 10 years after the signing of the "fundamental agreement" that opened diplomatic relations between the two. Afterward his talks at the Vatican, the Israeli cabinet minister met with Pope John Paul II (bio - news) at his summer residence in Castel Gandalfo.

In an interview with AsiaNews, Poraz said that his government was near an agreement with Church officials on three crucial issues: visas for Catholic missionaries, tax-exempt status for Church property, and access to the Christian shrines of the Holy Land. The visa problems in particular, he said, are "all but resolved."

But Father David Jaeger, a spokesman for the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, told AsiaNews that the visa problems remain unsettled, noting that Israel has failed to provide a public explanation for the government's failure to renew visas for missionaries. Father Jaeger also told AsiaNews, in a detailed interview, that regarding tax exemptions, "the Church has never demanded anything other than the recognition of vested rights; in other words, that its legal and tax conditions not worsen with respect to those under previous regimes." Finally, the Franciscan priest rejected the argument, put forward by Poraz, that a dispute over control of the Cenacle, a revered Christian shrine, is "a disagreement between churches." He responded that "there there has never been a controversy between Christian churches, and there must never be one, unless someone provokes one in order to 'divide and rule,' as they used to say in the ancient Roman Empire."

Some progress on Israeli visa problem , Jerusalem, Sep. 17 (CWNews.com)

Jerusalem, Sep. 17 (CWNews.com) - The new head of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land sees "signs of change" in the Israeli government's handling of visa requests by Catholic missionaries. But "the administrative procedure is still confused," he said.

Delays in Israel's approval of visas for missionary workers have provoked sharp tensions between the Holy See and the Israeli government. Israel's interior minister Avraham Poraz was in Rome this week, meeting with Vatican officials, and promising that the visa problems were "all but resolved."

Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa told a Vatican Radio audience that missionaries working in the Holy Land had encountered "a series of difficulties with the Israeli administration" in recent years. These problems emerged suddenly and without explanation, he added, "after 50 years without any problems."

But in the past few months, the Franciscan leader said, Israeli officials have again begun to approve visa requests, although the process is moving slowly. He said that Church officials hope the process will now run smoothly, and are particularly anxious to have a clear explanation of Israeli policies.

Church officials have recognized Israel's concerns, Father Pizzaballa said, insofar as some Catholic missionaries come from "countries that have a hostile relationship with Israel." He said that Catholic officials agreed to take extra care in reviewing the status of missionaries from countries such as Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon. The Church, he said, would guarantee the conduct of missionaries, "to ensure that they will not cause any problems" to the Israeli government.

ISRAEL SAYS PACT ON CENACLE DEPENDS ON CHRISTIANS, VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 15, 2004 (Zenit.org)

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 15, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Control of the Cenacle of Jerusalem, scene of Jesus' last supper, will be turned over if Israel and the Christian groups of the Holy Land can reach an agreement, an Israeli official said.

Interior Minister Abraham Poraz told Vatican Radio that the place in which Pentecost also took place was one of the issues discussed in his meetings with Vatican representatives.

Poraz met Tuesday with a Vatican delegation headed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano. The Israeli also spoke with John Paul II at Castel Gandolfo.

The Cenacle, Poraz explained, "was in the hands of Catholics until 500 years ago, when it was taken by the Muslims."

"The problem right now is that there is a discussion, a debate among churches in Jerusalem," he said. It "would be easy to solve the problem if there is an agreement among the churches in Jerusalem about how to handle this issue."

If there is no agreement, the Israeli interior minister has offered to mediate.

The Cenacle building is occupied by a yeshiva, or Hebrew religious school. It was used by Muslims until 1948. From 1335 to 1551 it was the Franciscan convent of Mount Zion and original headquarters of the Custody of the Holy Land.

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VISAS AND TAXES: WHAT'S BEHIND VATICAN-ISRAEL TALKS Interior Minister Poraz Explains His Country's Position, VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 15, 2004 (Zenit.org)

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 15, 2004 (Zenit.org).- An Israeli official's visit to John Paul II revealed two points where the Holy See and the Mideast state differ: visas for religious, and fiscal matters involving Church institutions in Israel.

In past months, the issue of visas created serious obstacles for priests and religious aiming to carry out their ministry in Israel.

Father David Jaeger of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, an expert on juridical questions, said that what disturbs him most is the "secrecy of the norms used by government personnel to grant or refuse entry or residence permits for ecclesiastical personnel."

Today, in statements on Vatican Radio, Father Jaeger said that "a state of law calls for the official publication of the norms and procedures so that all know them and can use them in their contacts with the government."

In an interview with the papal broadcasting station, Israeli Interior Minister Avraham Poraz, who visited the Pope on Tuesday, said that in his meeting with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano, "I promised that our ministry will facilitate all the procedures in order to enable people of the clergy to come easily to the Holy Land."

"I just explained that some of the people are coming from countries that are in a situation of hostility with Israel," Poraz said.

"Unfortunately, we don't have peace with our neighbors and if people are coming from, let's say, Lebanon, Syria or Jordan, we must check them carefully," he said.

"And we also agreed that in some cases, the Vatican in Rome will recommend the people in order that [we] will be assured, convinced that there shouldn't be any problems with them," the Israeli interior minister said.

"So if we get a recommendation from Rome that they are known here to the Vatican and that the people are not a threat, it will be much easier and we'll be able to shorten all the security checks," he added.

Regard the issue of taxes, Father Jaeger said that "the Church has never enjoyed and has never asked for tax exemptions for works or commercial establishments that might belong to the Church, if they exist in Israel. This has never been a problem."

"However, for institutions of a religious or charitable nature, the Church has always benefited from tax exemptions on property. All these exemptions were consolidated by a law in 1938," the Franciscan recalled.

"However, less than two years ago, while negotiations were taking place for this law to come into force, the Israeli government modified it to reduce drastically and unilaterally the Church's historical exemptions, even before negotiating the agreement," he said.

The Israeli interior minister said his visit to Rome served to take two steps. In his contacts with Vatican representatives, "we basically agreed that those activities that are commercial, like shops, hostels, hotels ... should pay taxes like anybody else," Poraz said.

"Of course, the churches themselves, places of prayer, are exempt from any taxation. Schools don't have to pay anything," he said.

In regard to monasteries, the Israeli said, "They will have to pay for the services given by the cities, such as sewage, electricity, water, cleaning, etc., but it is not ... a tax." It is a matter of simply "covering expenses," he said.

Interior Minister Poraz believes that "it's very important to improve relations. We know the Holy See has a great interest in the Holy Land. Israel and the holy places are not like any other place. And it's our goal and duty to give all the access and to make possible full activity."

"And of course we have problems with security," he added. "For if there is a siege in Bethlehem, it will be a problem to cross over there. But my goal is to enable all the churches and all the faiths in Jerusalem to act as freely as possible."

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ISRAEL AND VATICAN WORKING OUT VISA ISSUE Interior Minister Gives Assurances Regarding Priests and Religious, VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 14, 2004 (Zenit.org)

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 14, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Israel's interior minister gave the Holy See assurances of having given instructions for a solution to the problem of priests and religious seeking entrance visas to his country.

Interior Minister Avraham Poraz met with John Paul II today after addressing with papal aides some of the issues being negotiated by the Holy See and the Israeli government.

During the meetings, questions touched on the issuing of visas to priests and religious, and talks between the Holy See and Israel on fiscal questions of ecclesiastical institutions in that country, according to the Vatican press office.

Vatican press office director Joaquín Navarro Valls in a statement said that in regard to "the issue of entrance visas to Israel for religious personnel of the Catholic Church," the minister "gave assurances of having given the necessary instructions for a satisfactory solution."

In past months, Israeli authorities denied entry visas, in particular, to priests or religious from Arab countries. Some ecclesiastics also had problems renewing their residence visas in Israel.

Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic delegate in Jerusalem, said today that "now almost all the religious personnel have received the visa."

In statements to the Italian newspaper Avvenire, Archbishop Sambi added, however, that mechanisms are necessary "to avoid being subjected to a gigantic labyrinth every year when permits must be renewed. Written norms are needed that introduce a certain automatism."

The Israeli and Vatican delegations also discussed "the progress of negotiations under way in Jerusalem for the realization of an agreement that defines the fiscal questions of ecclesiastical institutions in Israel."

The Israeli laws, confirmed by the Israeli Supreme Court, recognize the fiscal exemption of ecclesiastical properties. However, in December 2002, while negotiations were taking place between Israel and the Vatican, the government decided on a drastic reduction of this fiscal exemption.

After a year of no official contacts between the Holy See and the Israeli government, representatives of both sides met Sept. 6-9 in Jerusalem to review aspects of the application of the 1993 Fundamental Agreement.

The papal delegate said there would be more meetings between the Israeli and Vatican delegations to be able to write a final document of agreement.

Abraham Poraz was accompanied at the meeting by Oded Ben-Hur, Israel's ambassador to the Holy See, and by Paltiel Varon, an adviser, and Cesare Marjeh, director of Israel's Department for Relations with Christians.

For his part, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano was assisted at the meeting by Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, secretary for relations with states, and by Monsignors Franco Coppola and Joseph Murphy, both officials of the Secretariat of State.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict was not addressed at the meeting as the Holy See already made known its position on Mideast peace during the recent visit of Israel's head of state and foreign minister to the Vatican.

Abraham Poraz is a co-founder of the Shinui Party, the second party of the government coalition.

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Israeli Minister Poraz meets Cardinal Sodano , 14 September, 2004 VATICAN - ISRAEL (AsiaNews)

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – The Secretary of State of the Holy See Card. Angelo Sodano met Israel’s Interior Minister Avraham Poraz this morning at 9:45. The Vatican Press Office released a statement at the end of the meeting.

According to the statement said the talks focused on matters under the minister’s jurisdiction leaving out issues such as peace, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the overall situation in the Middle East. The Holy See’s views on these issues [are] . . . well known to the Israeli government.

“Entry visas for religious personnel of the Catholic Church” and the “tax regime applied to church institutions in Israel” were among the questions the two parties discussed in view of implementing the 1993 Fundamental Agreement.

The visa question relates to a procedural problem and involves hundreds of religious men and women who work in Israel and whose visa was either not renewed or renewed with substantial delay. It also concerns the many students and novices from Asia and Africa who are denied entry visas, including tourist visas. To that effect, “the Ministry,” the statement said, “has provided the necessary assurances that appropriate instructions were given to reach a satisfactory solution.”

When talks between Israel and the Holy See were recently re-started, the issue concerning the tax regime applied to Church properties was also discussed. Tax exemption status, which was incorporated in the Fundamental Agreement, is guaranteed under Israeli law and confirmed by the United Nations. However, it has not yet been implemented by Israel.

In Israel, tax exemption for Church properties falls under the jurisdiction of the Interior Ministry.

During his visit, Interior Minister Poraz had an audience with the Pope in Castel Gandolfo.

Vatican presses visiting Israeli leader on pact, Vatican, Sep. 14 (CWNews.com)

Vatican, Sep. 14 (CWNews.com) - Israel's interior minister, Avraham Poraz, was in Rome today for talks with Vatican officials about a long-delayed pact between Israel and the Holy See.

The Israeli official met the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano (bio - news), and the Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo. Later he traveled to Castel Gandalfo for a brief meeting with Pope John Paul II (bio - news).

The visit by Poraz came at a time when Vatican officials are indicating their impatience with the lack of progress toward an agreement that would protect the status of Christian shrines and other Church properties in the Holy Land. Such a pact was promised under the terms of the "fundamental agreement" signed by Israel and the Holy See in 1993, but Israeli negotiators have been slow to respond to Catholic offers.

Negotiations between Church representatives and Israeli officials resumed in Jerusalem last week, after a break of nearly a year following an unexpected Israeli withdrawal from the talks. The latest diplomatic discussions recessed after a week, with a promise to return to the bargaining table in October.

Against that backdrop, the visit to Rome by the Israeli cabinet minister suggested a new bid to speed negotiations-- particularly because the interior minister has jurisdiction over the Vatican's key concerns. After the meeting between Poraz and Cardinal Sodano, the Vatican issued an official statement confirming that the negotiations had figured prominently in the talks.

The Vatican statement also indicated that Vatican officials had pressed Poraz on the question of renewing visas for Catholic missionaries working in the Holy Land. For several months, Church leaders have complained with increasing urgency that the Israeli government is not renewing visas for missionaries, forcing them either to leave the country or to remain illegally and risk arrest. The September 14 statement, released by Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls, reported that Poraz "gave assurances of having given the necessary instructions for a satisfactory solution" to the problem.

The Vatican's statement suggested that Cardinal Sodano had pushed to control the agenda at the Tuesday meeting, insisting on a specific consideration of Vatican concerns rather than a general discussion of public affairs in the Middle East. The statement reported that Cardinal Sodano had observed that "the positions of the Holy See on peace, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in general, on the situation in the Middle East were well-known to the Israeli government." Therefore, rather than repeating those points, Cardinal Sodano "suggested that today's meeting focus on the questions of the minister's jurisdiction."

Pope, Vatican Secretary of State, meet with Israeli Interior Minister, VATICAN CITY, Vatican, Sep. 14, 2004 (CNA)

VATICAN CITY, Vatican, Sep. 14, 2004 (CNA) - Pope John Paul II received Israeli Interior Minister Avraham Poraz, this morning at Castelgandolfo, after the minister’s meeting with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano to discuss matters of the his jurisdiction, particularly the issuing of visas to Israel for religious personnel of the Catholic Church and the fiscal status of ecclesiastical institutions in the country. Joaquin Navarro-Valls, director of the Holy See Press Office, stated that Cardinal Sodano "having recalled that the positions of the Holy See on peace, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in general, on the situation in the Middle East were well-known to the Israeli government, and that he personally had the possibility to illustrate these positions over the course of visits to the Vatican by the Head of the State of Israel and the Minister of Foreign Affairs - suggested that today's meeting focus on the questions of the minister's jurisdiction.” "In the course of the meeting, they talked about the Fundamental Agreement of 1993 and the Legal Personality Agreement of 1997. In particular, they spoke about the issue of entrance visas to Israel for religious personnel of the Catholic Church, a question about which the minister gave assurances of having given the necessary instructions for a satisfactory solution. They also discussed the progress of negotiations underway in Jerusalem for the realization of an agreement that defines the fiscal questions of ecclesiastical institutions in Israel,” Navarro-Valls added. The Interior Minister was accompanied by Israeli Ambassador Oded Ben-Hur, by an advisor, Paltiel Varon, and by the director of the Department for Relations with Christians, Cesar Marjeh. Joining the cardinal were Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, secretary of Relations with States, and Msgrs. Franco Coppola and Joseph Murphy, officials of the Secretariat of State.

Jesuit Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, Camaldoli (Italy), 14 September (VID)

Camaldoli (Italy), 14 September (VID) - "Proximity and solidarity" with the Palestinians and "intense affection" for the Jewish people: are the two attitudes recalled by Jesuit Cardinal Carlo Maria Martin, ex-Archbishop of Milan, who lives in Jerusalem since reaching the age limit and leaving the Diocese.

Cardinal Martini speaks of Jerusalem in a letter sent to the Conference sponsored by the magazine, "Il Regno" of the Dehonian Fathers, on the theme "Where Does Your Name Dwell, Jerusalem?" As in every year the meeting was held at the Camaldoli Monastery. It took place September 10-12.

Devoted to the theme: "How a Christian Encounters Jerusalem Today?" the Cardinal Martini’s letter underlines the fact that "one cannot speak of Jerusalem without loving it – loving it with that love which the prophets had for Jerusalem, who cried over the city and covered it with words dictated by love itself”.

“To love Jerusalem as David loved her...." To meet Jerusalem in love means "to tune in with the loving and jealous passion of God for the people he chose to be the model and example of the love of God for every people". For this "the premise for every relationship with Jerusalem is a sincere love and an intense affection for the Jewish people, a participation in its sufferings and its difficulties."

This "does not mean distance from other people, particularly from the Palestinian people, but on the contrary closeness and solidarity to let their sufferings and just requests enter in their flesh”.

Of the Christian who meets Jerusalem, according to Cardinal Martini, is required "the absence of judgment" according to the warning of the Gospel: "judge not and you will not be judged; condemn not and you will not be condemned".

"A Christian that does not belong to these people has to live above all his presence in their stories as intercession, in the etymological sense of the word, as I have already had the opportunity of explaining many times: to intercede, that is to walk in the midst, not inclining to one side or the other, praying equally for everybody, obtaining the grace of peace and of reconciliation. Departing of here each person will act according to his concrete civil and social responsibilities."

Jesuit Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, Camaldoli (Italy), 14 September (VID)

Camaldoli (Italy), 14 September (VID) - "Peace has a price" and especially in Jerusalem this is may be more evident than elsewhere, says Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, S.J., emeritus Archbishop of Milan, in one of the final passages of a letter sent to the Camaldoli Conference organized by the Dehonian magazine, "Il Regno". The conference is an occasion to gather together political and religious personages, among whom were the President of the European Committee, Romano Prodi.

"Anyone who lives in Jerusalem”, notes Cardinal Martini in a letter sent to the participants, “knows that there are here, at the level of small realizations, so many efforts at attempts to dialog, to meet, to understand, to reconcile and to pardon”.

“I have met Israelis struck by mourning in their families because of the war who have overcome the horror of what has happened and have decided to regularly meet with Palestinian families who also are in mourning because of the violence."

"The presence of international volunteers in Jerusalem is admirable", he explains, “and it is also beautiful to see how many Jew are committed to the way of peace. ”All those who work here often work in silence and hidden from sight. They understand that peace has a price and that every person has to start to pay his part”.

"To meet Jerusalem”, concludes the letter of Cardinal Martini, “means to meet her in faith, in prayer, in effective love and in hope. I hope that your reflections and discussions also bring about high levels of interest for these people that have suffered a great deal and that it marks the beginning of a way of overcoming mutual distrust and presents concrete offers of peace."

Interior Minister Poraz to visit Vatican tomorrow, Taxes on Church properties in the Holy Land will be on the discussion table., 13 September, 2004 VATICAN - ISRAEL (AsiaNews)

Jerusalem (AsiaNews) – Israel’s Interior Minister Avraham Poraz will visit the Pope tomorrow in the Vatican, this according to Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot. The paper reports that Poraz’s visit to the Vatican is possibly linked to the ongoing negotiations between the Holy See and the state of Israel – the last session ended a few days ago– concerning the Interior Ministry’s jurisdiction over tax exemption for Church properties.

Tax exempt status for religious property is guaranteed under Israeli law and enshrined in United Nations conventions. Israel’s Supreme Court confirmed such guarantees which should be included in the bilateral accord with the Catholic Church. But in December 2002, as talks between the two parties were under way, the Israeli government restricted the application of the tax exemption status complicating what should have been the easiest item on the negotiating table.

Avraham Poraz co-founded the Shinui party and is one of its main leaders. With 15 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, Shinui is the second largest party in the governing coalition. In the last elections, the party ran on a secular-oriented platform opposing the more theocratic aspects of Israeli law and pledging its support for a society based on the values of western liberal democracy.

Its base of support is found largely in the secular-oriented middle and upper-middle class that is drawn to the party’s neo-liberal economic orientation (lower taxes, less public spending, privatisations, etc.). However, the party seems to have let down many of its voters. Whilst Shinui voters might be pleased with Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu economic policies, they are less pleased with the lack of progress towards a less theocratic state. They are especially disappointed in Shinui’s failure to get its one major policy objective adopted, namely civil marriage.

Under current Israeli law, only religious marriage is legal. Hundreds of thousands of people who are unaffiliated to any religion are thus denied the right to a legal marriage; others who might be officially registered as members of a given religion must submit to a religious marriage whether they want to or not. Even a former Chief Rabbi of Israel has come out in favour of civil marriage, but Shinui has not yet been able to get its proposal accepted.

As Interior Minister, Avraham Poraz has other fish to fry these days, namely the unprecedented situation of unpaid municipal officials living near poverty, some even living in absolute indigence.

Israeli official to visit Vatican for talks , Jerusalem, Sep. 13 (AsiaNews)

An Israeli cabinet minister will visit the Vatican on September 14, for talks that may be linked with the current negotiations between his country's government and the Holy See.

Avraham Poraz will be in Rome on Tuesday, the Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot has disclosed. The report said that the Israeli interior minister would meet with Pope John Paul II (bio - news).

As interior minister, Poraz could be involved in discussions on one of the key points at issue in the Vatican-Israeli negotiations: the tax-exempt status of Church properties.

[For a more detailed report on the Israeli official's visit see the AsiaNews web site.

Prelates reflect on Christian role in Jerusalem, Rome, Sep. 13 (CWNews.com)

A retired Italian cardinal who now lives in Jerusalem has urged Christians to take an active role in mediating between Israelis and Palestinians.

Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, who took up residence in Jerusalem after stepping down as Archbishop of Milan, said that Christians should be cautious about making snap judgments. "In recent decades the situation regarding Israeli-Palestinian has become very complex, painful, and involved," he wrote, so that "even a qualified observer would have trouble making objective and dispassionate judgments."

The best contribution that Christians can make, the cardinal said, is to help both Israelis and Palestinians realize their interest in a durable peace. H explained that his role, living in Jerusalem, was to be a mediating presence, "not leaning toward one side or the other; praying equally for all, that they might obtain the grace of peace and reconciliation."

Cardinal Martini added that Christians have their own interests in promoting peace in Jerusalem, because the city is part of the patrimony of all Christians and all humanity. He made his observations in a message delivered to a conference on the Christian role in the Holy Land, organized by the Italian journal Il Regno . The conference is taking place this week in Camaldoli, Italy.

Speaking at the same conference, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the Vatican's former secretary for relations with states, reminded participants that the Holy See has repeatedly called for a special international statute to protect the holy places of Jerusalem.

Cardinal Tauran-- who became the Vatican archivist earlier this year, after several years at the top foreign-affairs officer for the Holy See-- said that the international community should "safeguard the sacred and unique character of Jerusalem."

No single religious faith should control Jerusalem, since the city is regarded as sacred by Jews, Christians, and Muslims, the cardinal argued. The shrines of each faith should be accessible to the faithful, he said. Otherwise, he observed, the city could "become a museum" rather than an active site for worship.

HOLY SEE DELEGATE UPBEAT ABOUT TALKS WITH ISRAEL , JERUSALEM, SEPT. 10, 2004 (Zenit.org).

JERUSALEM, SEPT. 10, 2004 (Zenit.org).- An ad hoc Vatican delegation concluded four days of talks with the Israeli Foreign Ministry over the fulfillment of the Fundamental Agreement between the Holy See and Israel.

It was the first meeting of substance in a year between the two delegations. Neither the Vatican team, led by apostolic delegate Archbishop Pietro Sambi, nor the Israeli Foreign Ministry released an official statement

AsiaNews, however, asked Archbishop Sambi for his evaluation of the talks that ended Thursday.

"To begin with, it is a positive thing that the negotiations got started, and I must say that there has been considerable progress over these days," he said. "A few difficulties persist, but I hope the willingness continues to fulfill the Fundamental Agreement completely."

Among the difficulties that remain, sources told AsiaNews, is the refusal to guarantee the Church access to courts for defending Church property, a situation Israeli jurists themselves call "unsustainable."

Talks are expected to resume in the second half of October.

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Vatican-Israel talks recessed until October , Jerusalem, Sep. 10 (CWNews.com)

Jerusalem, Sep. 10 (CWNews.com) - After a week of negotiations, representatives of the Holy See and the government of Israeli have agreed to continue their talks October, with Church officials reporting that the discussions were cordial but progress was slow.

Neither the Vatican nor the Israeli government issued any official announcement about the week's talks. The discussions are aimed toward the signing of an economic accord regarding the status of Church-owned properties in the Holy Land. Under the terms of the "fundamental agreement" signed in 2003, the Israeli government agreed to negotiate such an economic pact. But progress in negotiations has been slow. Talks resumed this year, after having been broken off by Israeli officials, under heavy diplomatic pressure from the US.

Vatican diplomats have recently stepped up their demands for a negotiated agreement, observing that the Israeli government has not yet guaranteed the rights of the Church and Church institutions. One key area of disagreement has involved the Israeli commitment to ensure free access to Christian shrines; Church officials argue that the Israeli "security wall" through Palestinian territory on the West Bank has restricted public access to shrines, parish churches, and Catholic institutions such as schools and hospitals.

In a related development, the AsiaNews service reported that the Archdiocese of Cologne, which holds title to several institutions in Israel, has appealed to that country's high court for a ruling on the tax-exempt status of Church-owned properties. The German archdiocese asked the court to determine whether the Israeli state is bound by the terms of the "fundamental agreement," and therefore barred from collecting taxes from Catholic churches and social institutions. The court has accepted the appeal, and ordered the government to respond within one month.

Archdiocese of Cologne appeals to the Israeli High Court of Justice against the Israeli government, 10 September, 2004 VATICAN - ISRAEL (AsiaNews)

Jerusalem (AsiaNews) – The Archdiocese of Cologne, owner of various religious and social operations in Israel, has asked the Israel High Court of Justice to order the Israeli Government to declare its position on the question of tax exemptions for religious activities, as foreseen by the accord between the Holy See and Israel. A representative of the Archdiocese in Jerusalem lodged its appeal several days ago, in which it asks the Court to order the Israeli Government to express itself on two points: a) if it considers itself bound by the Fundamental Agreement signed with the Holy See (30 December 1993); and, b) if it is true that, by these accord, fiscal authorities are forbidden to demand the payment of back taxes. The High Court accepted the appeal and ordered the Government to reply within 30 days of September 3rd.

This appeal is the first of its kind, and is the culmination of a series of attempts made by the German diocese to obtain an answer from government authorities. Up to now, when various tax collectors have pursued ecclesiastical entities, they have declared themselves to be unaware of Vatican-Israel accords. The Foreign Ministry and other government departments have been refusing to commit themselves on the question.

Since 1993, there has been only one occasion in which obligations undertaken by the Israeli Government toward the Catholic Church were officially acknowledged: this was in a letter released by a top official of the Finance Ministry. This unprecedented acknowledgement has never been repeated since, despite the avalanche of letters and protests addressed to the Government by both top officials of the Catholic Church and by small convents and institutes run by nuns.

This question is being tracked with the utmost attention and concern by the Church at all levels, including the so-called “French hospital” of Jerusalem where the Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul care for terminal patients. This hospital is a singular and much acclaimed institution in Israel. Yet, in these very days, the sisters are being targeted by tax officials who are demanding the settlement of new and exorbitant taxes, contrary to the obligations undertaken by the state in signing the Fundamental Agreement with the Vatican.

The hope in Church circles is that the powerful and influential German Archdiocese can win its case: such a victory would be a boon to poorer and needier institutions such as the Sisters of Charity hospital.

Israel - Holy See: meetings are cordial but Church's rights still face some obstacles , 9 September, 2004 VATICAN - ISRAEL (AsiaNews)

Jerusalem (AsiaNews) - Ecclesiastical sources have disclosed to AsiaNews that dialogue between Israel and the Holy See is cordial, but "certain thorny questions still need to be resolved". In particular, these same sources are worried and somewhat baffled by Israel's recalcitrance on the question of guaranteeing the Catholic Church's right to defend Church property in Israeli courts.

Negotiations between the Holy See and Israel began September 6 and will last until tomorrow. The talks should serve to fulfil obligations taken on by both parties with the signing of the 1993 Fundamental Agreement. In particular, there is the question of guaranteeing the Church's vested rights concerning tax matters and the right to maintain and safeguard monasteries, convents, churches, cemeteries and other ecclesiastical properties.

Meetings have been long, beginning early and lasting into the evening and are held away from media spotlights. Avoiding attention from journalists, the delegations have yet to release any statement.

An ecclesiastical source in Jerusalem disclosed to AsiaNews that the meetings are a source of " some satisfaction" because they are going as planned. According to various observers, this "is already a good sign", given the tendency of the Israeli delegation in the past to avoid engaging and meeting with the delegates of the Holy See.

According to the same ecclesiastical source, there seems to have been some progress, but "certain thorny questions still need to be resolved", namely the Church's right to defend its property in Israeli courts.

Israel-Vatican talks cordial, but differences remain, Jerusalem, Sep. 09 (AsiaNews)

Jerusalem, Sep. 09 (AsiaNews) - Ecclesiastical sources have disclosed to the AsiaNews service that renewed diplomatic talks between Israel and the Holy See have been cordial, but "certain thorny questions still need to be resolved."

In particular, the sources told AsiaNews that they are worried and somewhat baffled by Israel's recalcitrance on the question of guaranteeing the Catholic Church's right to defend Church property in Israeli courts.

Long-delayed negotiations between the Holy See and Israel-- which had been recessed after a quick meeting on July 5-- resumed on September 6 and will last through this week. The talks should serve to fulfil obligations taken on by both parties with the signing of the 1993 "fundamental agreement." In particular, there is the question of guaranteeing the Church's vested rights concerning tax matters and the right to maintain and safeguard monasteries, convents, churches, cemeteries, and other ecclesiastical properties.

New optimism on Vatican-Israeli negotiations , Milan, Sep. 07 (CWNews.com)

Milan, Sep. 07 (CWNews.com) - Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who heads the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, has expressed optimism about new talks between Church officials and the Israeli government, aimed to wrap up a accord to protect the status of Church properties.

Father Pizzaballa-- who is in Milan this week to speak on Israeli-Palestinian relations at an international conference organized by the St. Egidio community-- told the Roman news agency I Media that he hopes to see "rapid and concrete results" from the negotiations being held in Jerusalem this week.

Pressed to define what would constitute "rapid" progress, the Franciscan leader replied: "In the Middle East, that is a very relative term. But I'm thinking in terms of a month."

Father Pizzaballa disclosed that during the course of the conference in Milan, he has met with several Israeli officials: the ambassador to the Holy See, Oden Ben Hur; President Moshe Katsav; and the foreign and interior ministers. "All of them, with exception, have affirmed their desire to clarify and define their relations with the Holy See," he said. The Israeli officials, he added, seemed to be reflecting a clear policy line.

Acknowledging that similar Israeli-Vatican talks had broken down last year, and recessed after only a few hours of discussions in July, Father Pizzaballa made the observation that such reversals in negotiations are commonplace in the politics of the Middle East. "They needed a pause for reflection," he said of the quick departure from talks in July. "It doesn't seem to me that this was a case of refusing to continue negotiations."

Guarded optimism about the resumption of negotiations, 6 September, 2004 VATICAN - ISRAEL (AsiaNews)

Statements by Mg Pietro Sambi, Apostolic delegate to Jerusalem, and Oded Ben Hur, Israel’s Ambassador to the Holy See.

Rome (AsiaNews) – Negotiations between Israel and the Holy See restart today September 6 after Israel called them off a year ago. Vatican and Israeli delegations are scheduled to meet for four days, September 9 included. This comes after the short meeting on July 5 during which the resumption of talks was set for today, Monday.

The Vatican side remains very guarded in its optimism. The Nuncio and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem, Mgr Pietro Sambi will not release any statement ahead of the negotiations. Contacted by AsiaNews, he said: “Concerning the resumption of negotiations I shall wait after they are over before making any comment about their results.”

Israel’s Ambassador to the Holy See, Oded Ben Hur, instead released the following statement to AsiaNews: “We are happy for the resumption [of negotiations]. On the Israeli side, we are well prepared and wish to go forward towards their conclusion, which I hope will occur before the end of this year or at the beginning of the next. To date, we must solve certain “conceptual “difficulties” in interpreting Israeli legislative principles under which the accord falls. None the less, I have just come from Israel and it is my impression that progress has been made. I hope that it will become evident in the upcoming meeting. It would be a pity if the negotiations should drag on for too long it. But we should not never the less raise our hopes to high and think that results will necessarily come from this meeting.”

The new round of meetings involves the most difficult issues, namely Church properties and tax exemption status for Church bodies. They were covered by the fundamental agreement between the Holy See and Israel on December 30, 1993 which preceded the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the See of St. Peter and the Jewish state in June 1994. By signing the fundamental agreement the Vatican accepted Israel’s demand to establish diplomatic relations. In turn, the two sides were expected to sign a series of concordats that would guarantee the rights and freedom of the Church in Israel. Israel however never modified its legislation in conformity with the agreement. And on August 28, 2003, it withdrew its delegation from the negotiating table without any explanation.

Cautious approach to new Israeli-Vatican talks, Jerusalem, Sep. 06 (AsiaNews)

Jerusalem, Sep. 06 (AsiaNews) - Vatican officials are expressing cautious optimism about the resumption of negotiations with the Israeli government, aimed to conclude a long-overdue economic agreement ensuring the status of Church properties.

Talks were scheduled to resume on September 6, and contine for through the week. The negotiations, intended to wrap up details of an agreement reached 10 years ago, were suspended last year when Israeli representatives broke off talks without explanation. An earlier effort to re-start the talks, on July 5, was also suspended after a single meeting.

Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the papal nuncio in Jerusalem, exemplified the guarded Vatican approach when he declined to comment on the negotiations. He told the AsiaNews service: “Concerning the resumption of negotiations I shall wait after they are over before making any comment about their results.”

[For a more detailed story see the AsiaNews web site.]

American influence on the Vatican-Israel dialogue, 3 September, 2004 VATICAN - ISRAEL (AsiaNews)

3 September, 2004 VATICAN - ISRAEL

An interview with Fr. David M. Jaeger on what Israeli newspaper Haaretz has called “a success of Vatican diplomacy”.

Washington (AsiaNews) – The U.S. and Israel are anxiously awaiting the resumption of negotiations between the Holy See and the State of Israel, set for Monday, September 6. The resumption of negotiations, obtained through American pressure on Israel, is considered by many experts as “a success of Vatican diplomacy”.

Last August 10, the influential Senator Rick Santorum, a Republican from Pennsylvania, wrote to Israeli Prime Minister Sharon to say how favourable he was to Sharon’s decision to return to the bargaining table with the Catholic Church --negotiations that Israel had deserted on August 28, 2003– and to urge him, at the same time, to ensure that the Israeli delegation be given effective powers to negotiate. The Senator of the governing party, known for his friendship to Israel, made reference to the disappointment of July 5 of this year, when the Israeli delegation, which had just returned to the bargaining table (following previous American pressure, notably by Congressman Henry Hyde, president of the Foreign Affairs Committee), announced that it did not have a mandate to negotiate and reach a full accord. It is precisely Santorum’s effort, as well as other American interventions, which the Israeli daily Haaretz has called “a success of Vatican diplomacy”.

With few exceptions, American politicians are very faithful friends and supporters of Israel. What interest do they have in pushing for negotiations between the Israeli state and the Catholic Church? AsiaNews put the question to the well-known Israeli Franciscan jurist, Fr. David Maria A. Jaeger, who, in recent months, met in Washington with Congressman Hyde, Senator Santorum and a series of other members of Congress, both Republican and Democrats, as well as figures from the White House and the Department of State. “The Americans," Fr. Jaeger said , "support Israel because they consider it a democratic state that shares the same values as American society. It therefore makes them feel uneasy that, in Israel, the Catholic Church does not currently enjoy the same favourable treatment, especially on tax matters, that it, along with the Jewish community and other religions, enjoys in the United States. And an important objective of ongoing negotiations (which began on March 11, 1999) is precisely that: to ensure tax exemptions for the Church, comparable to those in the United States (which the Church enjoyed under previous treaties with European powers and the Ottoman Empire as well as UN resolutions). Furthermore, considering their particular concern for property law, the Americans cannot accept that in Israel, by virtue of an old law, which has never been revoked and remains in use, the Church can be barred access to courts when it comes to safeguarding religious properties, convents, churches and cemeteries. A main objective of negotiations has always been to overcome this particular situation. America’s 65 million Catholics, whose offerings are a very important source of economic support to the Church in Israel, are particularly sensitive to these issues. The spirit behind the efforts of these politicians – who have been keeping the pressure on the Israeli Embassy in Washington – is in effect one of friendship and concern for the Israeli nation. Efforts that would see proper and magnanimous relations with the Church, not unlike the relations the United States entertains with religious organizations”.

Until last July, Father Jaeger was a member of the governing council of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land and its official spokesman. In his conversation with AsiaNews, Fr. Jaeger praised the “great attention” reserved for the Church in the Holy Land by the Conference of American Bishops. He mentioned the “particular closeness” of the Archbishop of Washington, Theodore Cardinal McCarrick whose “cordial relations” with President Bush “have helped considerably in moments of particular difficulties”, especially when the president asked Sharon to put a halt to the construction of a mosque right at the entrance of the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth. The decision to let the mosque be built, cancelled by Sharon, had been taken by the previous Israeli government.

Vatican, Israel resume talks, prodded by US, Jerusalem, Sep. 03 (AsiaNews)

Jerusalem, Sep. 03 (AsiaNews) - On September 6, the Holy See and the government of Israel will resume negotiations to complete an accord that will offer tax exemptions for Church property. The renewal of those negotiations-- which the Israeli newspaper Haaretz sees as "a success of Vatican diplomacy"-- comes as a response to diplomatic pressure from the US, the AsiaNews service reports.

In July, an attempted resumption of the Vatican-Israeli talks collapsed after one short session, with Israeli representatives revealing that they did not have the authority to reach a substantive agreement. That failure drew some strong criticism from Washington, where influential Republican Party leaders prodded the Israeli government leadership to give the talks higher priority.

When Israel and the Vatican signed a "fundamental accord" in 1994, opening the way to full diplomatic relations, their agreement included an Israeli pledge to conclude an economic pact that would preserve the Church's property rights and tax-free status in the Holy Land. However, the terms of that economic pact have still not been resolved; they are the subject of the negotiations to be resumed on September 6.

Amid mounting frustration about the lack of progress toward a final accord, Church diplomats succeeded in drawing the involvement of US political leaders to break the deadlock. In an interview with the AsiaNews service, Father David Jaeger, a Franciscan spokesman in Jerusalem, explained why American leaders have taken an interest in the affair:

The Americans support Israel because they consider it a democratic state that shares the same values as American society. It therefore makes them feel uneasy that, in Israel, the Catholic Church does not currently enjoy the same favourable treatment, especially on tax matters, that it, along with the Jewish community and other religions, enjoys in the United States.