POPE APPEALS FOR INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE IN MIDDLE

1. (U) SUMMARY: IN HIS AUGUST 1 ANGELUS MESSAGE, POPE JOHN
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PAGE 02 VATICA 03986 01 OF 02 150143Z
PAUL II MADE A STRONG AND EMOTIONAL APPEAL FOR PEACE IN THE
MIDDLE EAST, CALLING ON ISRAELITES AND PALESTINIANS TO RETURN
TO THE PATH OF NEGOTIATIONS, AND URGING THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY TO COMMIT ITSELF TO A PRESENCE IN THE REGION "TO
CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR A PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE
PARTIES. THE POPE FORCEFULLY STATED THAT "THERE IS NO
JUSTIFICATION FOR THOSE WHO INDISCRIMINATELY KILL INNOCENT
DEFENSELESS CIVILIANS." HE EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN FOR THE
PLIGHT OF BOTH THE PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS, AND EMPHASIZED
THAT NEITHER ATTACKS, ARMS, NOR WALLS OF SEPARATION WOULD
LEAD TO A JUST SOLUTION. FINALLY, CALLING ATTENTION TO THE
INABILITY OF WORSHIPERS TO ATTEND SERVICES BECAUSE OF THE
CURFEWS, HE CONDEMNED WHAT HE TERMED A RESTRICTION ON FREEDOM
OF RELIGION AND APPEALED TO CHRISTIANS LIVING IN THE HOLY
LANDS NOT TO ABANDON THE REGION DESPITE THE CURRENT TROUBLES.
END SUMMARY.



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POPE ANGUISHED BY CONTINUING VIOLENCE


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2. (U) IN HIS FIRST SUNDAY ANGELUS MESSAGE SINCE HIS RETURN
FROM CANADA, GUATEMALA AND MEXICO, POPE JOHN PAUL II CHOSE TO
MAKE A POINTED APPEAL FOR AN END TO VIOLENCE IN THE MIDDLE
EAST. OBSERVING THAT HE "CAN'T STOP THINKING" ABOUT THE HOLY
LANDS WHOSE PEOPLE HAVE NO RESPITE FROM THE "ALMOST DAILY
EPISODES OF ABOMINABLE VIOLENCE," THE POPE ASKED RHETORICALLY
WHEN THE ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN PEOPLE WOULD COME TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THE ABILITY TO LIVE TOGETHER "DOES NOT SPRING
FROM ARMS." "NEITHER ATTACKS, NOR WALLS OF SEPARATION, NOR
RETALIATION WILL EVER LEAD TO AN EQUITABLE SOLUTION OF THE
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PAGE 03 VATICA 03986 01 OF 02 150143Z
CURRENT CONFLICT." HE SAID HE SUFFERS WITH THOSE WHO MOURN
THE DESTRUCTION, PARTICULARLY THE INNOCENTS WHO ARE PAYING
THE PRICE OF THE CURRENT VIOLENCE.



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NO JUSTIFICATION FOR TERROR


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3. (U) REINFORCING HIS REJECTION OF TERROR IN ALL FORMS, THE
POPE SAID HE WANTED TO REPEAT TO ALL FROM WHATEVER ETHNIC
GROUP THEY BELONG TO, THAT "THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR
THOSE WHO INDISCRIMINATELY KILL INNOCENT DEFENSELESS
CIVILIANS." CONVEYING EQUAL CONCERN FOR THE SUFFERING OF
BOTH SIDES, THE POPE OBSERVED THAT FROM 1967 TO THE PRESENT
THERE HAS BEEN "A TERRIBLE SUCCESSION OF UNSPEAKABLE
SUFFERING: SUFFERING OF THE PALESTINIANS, HUNTED FROM THEIR
OWN LANDS OR CONSTRAINED, IN RECENT TIMES, TO A STATE OF
PERMANENT SIEGE, OBJECTS OF A SORT OF COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT;
SUFFERING OF THE ISRAELI POPULATION WHICH LIVES IN DAILY
TERROR OF BEING BOMBED BY ANONYMOUS ATTACKERS."



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APPEAL FOR INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE


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4. (C) IN RECENT DISCUSSIONS, THE HOLY SEE HAS INTENSIFIED
ITS PUSH FOR SOME FORM OF INTERNATIONAL INTERPOSITION FORCE
ON THE GROUND IN THE REGION (REFTELS). REINFORCING THIS
MESSAGE, THE POPE CALLED ON THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY "TO
COMMIT ITSELF WITH GREAT DETERMINATION TO BE PRESENT ON THE
GROUND, OFFERING THE NEEDED MEDIATION TO CREATE THE
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PAGE 04 VATICA 03986 01 OF 02 150143Z
CONDITIONS FOR A PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE PARTIES."
AT THE SAME TIME, HE APPEALED TO THE ISRAELIS AND
PALESTINIANS TO RETURN TO HONEST NEGOTIATIONS."



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POPE SEES FREEDOM OF RELIGION RESTRICTED IN HOLY LANDS


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5. (U) ADDING URGENCY TO HIS APPEAL TO PEACE, THE POPE
REITERATED HIS CONCERN FOR CHRISTIANS IN THE HOLY LANDS --
MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN EMIGRATING TO ESCAPE THE VIOLENCE AND
LACK OF OPPORTUNITY IN THE STRIFE-TORN REGION. IN THIS
CONNECTION, THE POPE ASSERTED THAT THE CURRENT RIGID CURFEW
IMPOSED BY THE ISRAELIS HAD RESULTED IN A FUNDAMENTAL
VIOLATION OF THE FREEDOM OF RELIGION, AS BELIEVERS OF ALL
FAITHS NO LONGER HAD ACCESS TO PLACES OF WORSHIP.



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COMMENT


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CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL PTQ0393

PAGE 01 VATICA 03986 02 OF 02 131621Z
ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 WHA-00
PERC-00 DS-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NEA-00
NSAE-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /002W


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D89D77 131621Z /38
R 131615Z AUG 02
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
USINT HAVANA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 003986

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR S (CKELLY), EUR/WE MENNUTI AND NEA/IPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2012
TAGS: IS PREL PHUM KIRF PREL PHUM KIRF VT VTIS
SUBJECT: POPE APPEALS FOR INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE IN MIDDLE
EAST; RETURN TO NEGOTIATIONS



6. (C) RETURNING TO ROME AFTER HIS EXTENDED VISIT TO THE
AMERICAS, THE POPE WAS CLEARLY SEEKING TO USE HIS SUNDAY
ANGELUS TO REGISTER HIS DEEP PERSONAL CONCERN AT THE
CONTINUING SPIRAL OF VIOLENCE AND TO REINFORCE THE VATICAN'S
CURRENT VIEW THAT SOME FORM OF AN INTERNATIONAL FORCE IS
NEEDED TO GIVE THE PARTIES A CHANCE TO COOL DOWN FROM CURRENT
OVERHEATED EMOTIONS ON BOTH SIDES. ITALIAN NEWSPAPER
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PAGE 02 VATICA 03986 02 OF 02 131621Z
ACCOUNTS OF THE POPE'S STATEMENT SUGGESTED THAT PRESIDENT
BUSH HAD BEEN RECEPTIVE TO THE POPE'S PROPOSAL FOR SUCH A
FORCE IN THEIR FIRST MEETING, BUT THAT THE U.S. HAD CHANGED
ITS MIND UNDER PRESSURE FROM ISRAEL. UNTIL GREATER PROGRESS
IS REGISTERED IN ENDING THE VIOLENCE AND REESTABLISHING
CONFIDENCE, THE VATICAN IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY
ITS APPEAL FOR AN INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE IN THE MONTHS AHEAD.
HARDT
SEMBLER

CONFIDENTIAL

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2002VATICA03986 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL