Holy See and the State of Israel working well together

Monday, June 19th, 2017

The Holy See and the State of Israel’s Bilateral Permanent Working Commission had a “cordial meeting” at Vatican City last week.

The plenary meeting was led by Msgr. Antoine Camilleri, Undersecretary for the Holy See’s Relations with States, and Mr. Tzachi Hanegbi, Minister for Regional Cooperation of the State of Israel.

They were continuing negotiations about the Fundamental Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Israel of 1993, Art. 10 paragraph 2, which focuses on good faith and working cooperatively.

The agreement is special because of the “singular character and universal significance of the Holy Land”.

In its preamble, the Agreement states it is “Aware of the unique nature of the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, and of the historic process of reconciliation and growth in mutual understanding and friendship between Catholics and Jews”.

A press release after last week’s meeting says “the Plenary was pleased with the progress accomplished at the working level regarding the negotiations, and the cordial atmosphere in which the meetings took place.”

After the meeting Hanegbi met Pope Francis briefly during a General Audience in St Peter’s Square.

He then spoke to Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States.

He said he and Gallagher discussed the previous day’s meeting and the progress made towards the conclusion of the Financial Agreements between Israel and the Holy See.

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