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Pope Benedict XVI speaks with PM Ehud Olmert (R) at the Vatican last year. (Reuters)
Last update - 10:42 17/11/2007
Vatican envoy: Ties with Israel in decline due to broken promises
By News Agencies
Tags: Church property 

Relations between Israel and the Vatican "were better" before the two established full diplomatic ties in 1993, according to a senior Vatican diplomat and former top Holy See envoy to Jerusalem.

Israel has also failed to keep promises to ease travel restrictions on Catholic clerics and remove taxes on Church-owned property in the Holy Land, Monsignor Pietro Sambi said in an interview posted Friday on the Franciscan Order's terrasanta.net Web site.

"The Holy See decided to establish diplomatic relations (in 1993) with Israel as an act of faith, leaving to latter the serious promises to regulate concrete aspects of the life of the Catholic community and the Church in Israel," Sambi, the Papal Nuncio to the United States, said.
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"If I must be frank, the relations between the Catholic Church and the state of Israel were better when there were no diplomatic ties," he continued.

Among the issues hanging are the status of expropriated church property, services that Catholic groups perform for Israel's Jewish and Arab population, and tax exemptions for the Church.

The Vatican diplomat also cited a current sore point - the granting of permits for Arab Christian clergy traveling to and around the West Bank, which has rescinded because of security concerns.

Sambi complained that the Knesset has failed to give necessary approval to various accords that had been signed by both sides, and noted that an impasse over taxes has been discussed on and off for nearly 10 years without resolution.

He blamed the situation on Israel's absence of political will. "Everyone can see what kind of trust you can give to Israel's promises," Sambi said.

Asked about Sambi's criticisms, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said that "Israel is interested in good relations with the Vatican and Israeli and Vatican officials are working to overcome gaps that exist."

Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said the interview with Sambi reflects his thinking and his personal experience during the diplomat's former posting in Israel.

Lombardi said the Holy See reiterated the hope, expressed in September when Benedict met with President Shimon Peres, for a rapid conclusion of the important negotiations and a common solution to existing problems.

Earlier this year, tensions developed between the Vatican and Israel when the Holy See's ambassador to Israel initially decided to boycott a Holocaust memorial service because of allegations that during World War II Pope Pius XII was silent about the mass killings of Jews.

While Israel has in the past offered to create a special panel to oversee property cases involving the Vatican, it has also expressed fear that giving tax exemptions to the Catholic Church could open the door for other churches and groups to seek similar treatment.


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      1.   Note to Vatican: Once they have it in their hands, it`s theirs 19:50  |  Natallie Durson 16/11/07
      2.   Services rendered? Is this a comedy routine? 20:07  |  McQueen 16/11/07
      3.   Israel and Catholics 20:09  |  American Catholic 16/11/07
      4.   Vatican Was Foolish To Trust Israel 20:18  |  Lev Bronstein 16/11/07
      5.   And just ask "Natalie" about those... 20:19  |  Tom 16/11/07
      6.   Nothing new here 20:19  |  Don Camillo 16/11/07
      7.   Whatever 20:22  |  Josh 16/11/07
      8.   To Natallie #1 -- I think you have the sides confused 20:25  |  Josh 16/11/07
      9.   Vatican - What a Joke!!! 20:27  |  Jason 16/11/07
      10.   tridentine mass hurts relations more 20:28  |  Polybios 16/11/07
      11.   what about promises of the catholic church? 20:31  |  topanga 16/11/07
      12.   Vatican 20:34  |  Brad 16/11/07
      13.   " Church property unjustly expropriated or subjected to unjust.." 20:35  |  ZADOK 16/11/07
      14.   After all the years of Catholic oppression and snobbery... 20:39  |  Tom 16/11/07
      15.   Josh - the jews live with the Christians AND have religious 20:42  |  Ask a Ninja 16/11/07
      16.   LOL 20:44  |  rich 16/11/07
      17.   Good 20:49  |  Colin Wright 16/11/07
      18.   #6 Did you actually read the article? 20:50  |  Outsider 16/11/07
      19.   The gold and silver of the second Temple..... 20:51  |  Shalom 16/11/07
      20.   Israel, would you please pay...... 20:54  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/11/07
      21.   Eye to Eye at the same level 20:56  |  Jacob 16/11/07
      22.   Lev Bronstein #3 - you`re the "foolish one" 20:59  |  Polybios 16/11/07
      23.   #10 Topanga 21:01  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/11/07
      24.   What "services rendered"? 21:05  |  Gili 16/11/07
      25.   Vatican isn`t a joke Jason #8 21:08  |  Pierre 16/11/07
      26.   Israel treats christians just as badly as they treat Muslims 21:15  |  Steve 16/11/07
      27.   VATICAN 21:18  |  Roberto 16/11/07
      28.   Reply to # 11 and 8 21:20  |  Tony 16/11/07
      29.   the vatican 21:20  |  jp 16/11/07
      30.   Lev Bronstein 21:22  |  Mohammed Abdul 16/11/07
      31.   ZADOK - Then every Catholic Nation should 21:25  |  Deal Maker 16/11/07
      32.   Ethnic cleansing 21:27  |  Kevin 16/11/07
      33.   CATHOLIC CHURCH 21:35  |  Baruch Hashem 16/11/07
      34.   ZADOK has it right 21:38  |  Gee 16/11/07
      35.   Yeah, nice to see good ole Catholic Church true to form 21:41  |  Mayence 16/11/07
      36.   Good grief, what a pack of nutjobs 21:48  |  Michael Steiner 16/11/07
      37.   "Security concerns"?: Yeah, priests pose a great threat. 21:51  |  peacelover 16/11/07
      38.   Vatican should be worrying over conduct off bad presits not Israe 21:59  |  Kipperraes 16/11/07
      39.   Their Trademark 21:59  |  JJ 16/11/07
      40.   Finally Some Good News! 22:01  |  Brad 16/11/07
      41.   Vatican still pro-PA and anti-Israel; still has dhimmi attitude 22:08  |  Reuven 16/11/07
      42.   How Many Divisions Does the Pope Have? 22:09  |  Robert 16/11/07
      43.   Let the Vatican return property THEY stole 22:10  |  Judith 16/11/07
      44.   Brad: Your anti-Catholic attitude is akin to the 22:14  |  John Kennedy 16/11/07
      45.   Israel is not better than Turkey 22:16  |  Fritz Teich 16/11/07
      46.   Nothing Against Catholics 22:25  |  Ron 16/11/07
      47.   zadok 12 22:34  |  realism 16/11/07
      48.   To Judith 22:43  |  jpudentain 16/11/07
      49.   Catholic Guilliani for President 22:49  |  Voter 16/11/07
      50.   Next time, get it in writing...he he hi hi he he he ha ha ha 22:58  |  Scott Hunter 16/11/07
      51.   Majority of US Supreme Court Judges are Catholic 22:58  |  William Buckley 16/11/07
      52.   #40 Judith, the Pope would not return anything. 23:03  |  ballistic 16/11/07
      53.   Vatican in no position to criticise 23:09  |  Morris Valentine 16/11/07
      54.   The Day of the Dragon 23:25  |  Brod 16/11/07
      55.   Realism #44 - Proof is in the pudding 23:25  |  Jason 16/11/07
      56.   Who needs the Vatican? 23:26  |  Alex 16/11/07
      57.   Would the Pope Divide The Vatican? 23:33  |  Sarah 16/11/07
      58.   FIRST LOWER TAXES FOR ISRAELI CITIZENS!!! 23:38  |  B`Galil 16/11/07
      59.   to ZADOK - What of the improvements to Aelia Capitolina 23:47  |  plebian 16/11/07
      60.   So much for Vatican diplomacy 23:51  |  Jake 16/11/07
      61.   Don Camillo, peddling in hypocrisy as usual 23:58  |  Jake 16/11/07
      62.   Rome`s Booty (realism, et. al) 00:00  |  ZADOK 17/11/07
      63.   Vatican prefers the pre-Oslo days, with good reason 00:22  |  Jake 17/11/07
      64.   I am an American catholic 00:41  |  Steve 17/11/07
      65.   Ballistic 48 How dare you! 01:06  |  ChanahS 17/11/07
      66.   jason 51 01:40  |  realism 17/11/07
      67.   Ballistic from Henderson, response 01:47  |  Smearnov 17/11/07
      68.   Sarah 02:33  |  Terry 17/11/07
      69.   Steve: What are you talking about? 03:12  |  Catholic American 17/11/07
      70.   VATICAN: the most antisemite organization 03:32  |  alvaro 17/11/07
      71.   #1