Israeli authorities refuse nuncio entry into Gaza

November 25, 2008

Israeli authorities on Sunday morning refused to allow Archbishop Antonio Franco and other priests to enter Gaza to offer Sunday Mass. Calling the action ‘not only [a] violation to diplomatic relations between states, but also [a] violation to the right of faithful to hold their worship with no obstacles,’ the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem stated that the incident occurred ‘despite previous coordination with relevant parties at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and senior Israeli Army command since last Tuesday.’ A Jordanian priest commented, ‘It could be sensed that this behavior on the part of Israel is meant as a negative message to the Vatican.’

Since 2006, Archbishop Franco has served as apostolic nuncio to Israel and Cyprus and apostolic delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine. He was scheduled to offer Mass in place of Gaza’s 70-year-old parish priest, who left Gaza for the first time in eight years to visit family members in the West Bank.

 

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Further information:

• Gaza Christians without Sunday mass: And Israel bans Papal Nuncio and Latin Patriarchate priests from entering Gaza to pray there (Latin Patriarchate; scroll down for English)
• Top Latin archbishop denied entry to Gaza (Jordan Times)
• Priest finally leaves Gaza to visit family, but feels ‘split in two’ (CNS)