VATICAN ENVOY VISITS ISRAEL; ISRAEL/VATICAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 003118

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR: NEA/IAI, EUR/WE

FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 83/001

E.O. 12958: DECL 06/07/11
TAGS: PREL PGOV XR VT
SUBJECT: VATICAN ENVOY VISITS ISRAEL; ISRAEL/VATICAN
RELATIONS DETERIORATE


CLASSIFIED BY CDA JOSEPH MERANTE, REASONS E.O. 12958 1.5
(B),(D).
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 VATICA 03118 111552Z


1. (C) POPE JOHN PAUL II DISPATCHED PIO CARDINAL LAGHI TO
MEET ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER SHARON AND PALESTINIAN
AUTHORITY CHAIRMAN ARAFAT ON JUNE 2. VATICAN MIDDLE EAST
DIRECTOR MONS. GIOVANNI D'ANIELLO ACCOMPANIED LAGHI.
CHARGE CALLED ON D'ANIELLO JUNE 6 FOR READ-OUT OF TRIP.
D'ANIELLO SAID THAT SOLE PURPOSE OF THE TRIP WAS TO EXPRESS
THE POPE'S DESIRE THAT THE VIOLENCE STOP. D'ANIELLO SAID
THAT THE VATICAN DID NOT PROPOSE ANY NEW POLITICAL
SOLUTIONS TO THE ARAB/ISRAELI CONFLICT, AND DID NOT RAISE
ITS DESIRE TO SEE AN INTERNATIONAL FORCE DISPATCHED TO
ISRAEL AND THE TERRITORIES. CHARGE ASKED ABOUT LAGHI'S
STATEMENTS WHICH ISRAELI CONTACTS INTERPRET AS JUDGING
SETTLEMENT EXPANSION AS THE MORAL EQUIVALENT OF THE SUICIDE
BOMBINGS. D'ANIELLO SAID THAT LAGHI'S INTENT WAS TO SAY
THAT BOTH THE VIOLENCE, AND THE "PROVOCATION" TO VIOLENCE,
MUST END. D'ANIELLO ADDED VERY LITTLE INSIGHT TO THE
VISIT, BUT DID SAY THAT THE VATICAN HAD NO PLANS TO
UNDERTAKE A SECOND MISSION.


2. (C) IN A FOLLOW-UP CONVERSATION, ISRAEL EMBASSY DCM ZVI
TAL GAVE A/DCM AN EARFUL OF HIS EMBASSY'S VIEWS ON THE
DETERIORATION OF RELATIONS WITH THE HOLY SEE. RECITING A
NUMBER OF SLIGHTS DATING BACK TO NOVEMBER 2000, TAL SAID A
PATTERN HAS EMERGED OF THE VATICAN BACKING OFF FROM ITS
PREVIOUS COMMITMENT TO CATHOLIC-JEWISH DIALOGUE. BEGINNING
WITH THE VATICAN'S REFUSAL TO COORDINATE WITH THE ISRAEL
EMBASSY A COMMEMORATION OF THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE PONTIFF'S
HISTORIC VISIT TO THE HOLY LANDS, THROUGH A SERIES OF MINOR
SLIGHTS (LIKE NOT RECEIVING VISITING KNESSET MEMBERS) TO
THE QLACK OF BALANCEQ IN LAGHI'S PUBLIC COMMENTARY THIS
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 VATICA 03118 111552Z
WEEK, TAL ASSERTED THAT THE VATICAN HAS BEEN CLOSING DOORS
ON DIALOGUE WITH THE GOI. TAL SHARED WITH A/DCM A COPY OF
THE POPE'S LETTER TO PM SHARON (FAXED TO EUR/WE),NOTING
THAT EVEN THAT MISSIVE CONTAINED THE QCODE WORD JUSTICEQ,
TO REFER TO A PERCEIVED VATICAN TILT TOWARDS THE
PALESTINIANS. THE ISRAEL EMBASSY IS NOT AT ALL HAPPY WITH
THE STATE OF RELATIONS, AND IF FEARFUL THAT THINGS COULD
GET WORSE. TAL SAID HIS SOURCES INDICATE SECRETARY OF
STATE CARDINAL SODANO IS THE FORCE BEHIND THESE
DEVELOPMENTS. (NOTE: SODANO IS PM EQUIVALENT AND REGARDED
BY SOME AS A POSSIBLE PAPAL SUCCESSOR).


3. (C) COMMENT: POST TOO HAS NOTED THAT THE VATICAN'S
TILT TOWARD THE PALESTINIANS HAS BECOME SOMEWHAT MORE
EVIDENT. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR
THIS. WE BELIEVE IT REFLECTS IN LARGE PART THE VATICAN'S
UNDERSTANDABLE NEED TO MIND THE INTERESTS OF CHRISTIANS IN
THE HOLY LANDS. IT MAY ALSO REFLECT A VATICAN POLICY TO
SUPPORT ARAFAT ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE EVIL YOU KNOW IS
BETTER THAN THE EVIL YOU DON'T. IT MAY REFLECT RESIDUAL
ANTI-SEMITIC ATTITUDES THAT STILL EXIST AMONG SOME WITHIN
THE VATICAN. IT ALSO MAY REFLECT SODANO'S OWN POLITICAL
MANEUVERING TOWARDS GREATER INFLUENCE, PERHAPS EVEN THE
PAPACY, IN THE WANING DAYS OF JP II'S PONTIFICATE.
MERANTE

CONFIDENTIAL

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2001VATICA03118 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL