Catholic World News News Feature

Israel, Vatican resume talks toward final accord June 18, 2004

Negotiations between the Holy See and the government of Israel on a financial accord will be resumed on July 5, after a long diplomatic impasse, representatives of both sides have announced.

The Vatican Secretariat of State and Israeli ambassador Oded Ben Hur joined in the June 18 announcement that efforts to reach agreement on financial issues would be reopened in Jerusalem. The negotiations broke down in August 2003, when Israeli representatives broke off the talks.

The formal announcement of renewed talks-- confirming reports that had circulated in recent weeks-- came just after the 10th anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between Israel and the Holy See. Those relations were opened on June 15, 1994.

The financial accord which will be discussed is one of several steps called for in the "fundamental accord" that opened relations between the Vatican and Israel. The terms of that fundamental accord have not yet been fulfilled, and Vatican officials had indicated that they had hoped to finalize the agreement before the 10th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Ambassador Ben Hur said that there is now "a complete understanding between the two parties," which suggests that the new negotiations could reach a quick agreement.

The resolution of financial issues is critical to the welfare of Christian communities in the Holy Land. This agreement-- which, according to the terms of the "fundamental accord," should have been concluded by 1995-- concerns the tax-exempt status of Christian shrines and charitable institutions.

The lack of progress on negotiations had been one of several sources of diplomatic tension between the Holy See and the Israeli state. Another cause of friction has been the Israeli government's failure to renew visas for Catholic priests and religious working in the Holy Land. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has announced plans to form a committee to resolve that problem; Vatican officials are still awaiting signs of a change in policy. Finally, the Vatican has expressed keen concerns about the Israeli "security wall" through Palestinian territory, which has dispossessed some Catholic communities from their land and restricted access to some churches and shrines, in an apparently violation of the terms of the fundamental accord.

When the talks on a financial agreement open in July, the Holy See's representatives will include Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the apostolic nuncio in Jerusalem, and Father David Jaeger, the spokesman for the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. If talks progress rapidly, they could be joined by the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, or his deputy, Msgr. Pietro Parolin. Israeli negotiators will include representatives of the ministries of finance and foreign affairs, as well as a representative of the prime minister.