HOLY SEE ON ICJ, ISRAELI SEPARATION BARRIER

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 005365 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE: LEVIN; NEA/IPA; IO/UNP E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2013 TAGS: IS KPAL PREL VT UNGA SUBJECT: HOLY SEE ON ICJ, ISRAELI SEPARATION BARRIER REF: A. A) SECSTATE 325119 ¶B. B) VATICAN 5190 CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) POLOFF DELIVERED REFTEL POINTS TO HOLY SEE OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR ISRAEL AND PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS FRANCO COPPOLA NOVEMBER 25. COPPOLA LIMITED HIS RESPONSE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF AN INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE (ICJ) OPINION ON THE LEGALITY OF THE ISRAELI SEPARATION BARRIER. HE AGREED THAT SEEKING AN ICJ OPINION WOULD BE A MISTAKE THAT WOULD RISK POLITICIZING THE ICJ, AND IN GENERAL WOULD COMPLICATE THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST. ¶2. (C) COPPOLA SAID THE HOLY SEE APPRECIATED AND WELCOMED THE PRESIDENT'S SIGNIFICANT NOVEMBER 19 COMMENTS IN LONDON REGARDING THE WAY FORWARD IN THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN DISPUTE (REF A). HE POINTEDLY NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT THE COMMENTS SEEMED TO HAVE MADE NO DIFFERENCE TO THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT. THE HOLY SEE UNDERSTANDS THAT THE GOI MAY IN FACT NOW BE SPEEDING UP CONSTRUCTION OF THE BARRIER. IF THE GOI DOES NOT RESPOND EVEN TO THE U.S. CRITICISM, COPPOLA OBSERVED, PERHAPS SOMETHING MORE CONCRETE NEEDED TO BE DONE. ¶3. (C) THE HOLY SEE'S CONCERN ABOUT THE SECURITY FENCE -- AS HIGHLIGHTED BY THE POPE'S POINTED REMARKS IN HIS LAST SUNDAY ANGELUS ADDRESS (REF B) -- WAS THAT THE FURTHER ALONG THE BARRIER PROJECT WENT, THE MORE DIFFICULT IT WOULD BE TO REVERSE IT. THE HOLY SEE BELIEVES THE PROJECT WILL ONLY SERVE TO EMPOWER EXTREMISTS, AND WILL ONLY HINDER THE PEACE PROCESS. THE ICJ IS NOT THE ANSWER, COPPOLA AGREED, BUT WE MUST FIND ANOTHER WAY. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) THE POPE'S UNUSUAL DIRECT AND PUBLIC CRITICISM OF THE SECURITY WALL EVOKED A SHARP RESPONSE FROM PRIME MINISTER SHARON DURING HIS VISIT TO ITALY LAST WEEK IN WHICH HE NOTED THAT HE COULD NOT HELP BUT NOTICE THAT THE VATICAN WAS SURROUNDED BY WALLS. THERE HAD BEEN PRESS SPECULATION ABOUT WHETHER SHARON WOULD MEET WITH THE POPE DURING HIS THREE DAYS IN ROME, BUT THE POPE'S CRITICISM DIMMED ANY PROSPECTS FOR SUCH A MEETING. WE HAVE HEARD THAT RELATIONS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE HOLY SEE ARE AT A LOW POINT -- AN IMPRESSION REINFORCED BY SHARON'S' STUDIOUS AVOIDANCE OF VATICAN CITY DURING HIS VISIT AND BY ISRAEL'S DOWNSIZING OF ITS MISSION TO THE HOLY SEE IN RECENT MONTHS. COPPOLA'S CALL FOR SOMETHING BEYOND EXHORTATION TO ISRAEL IS A REFLECTION OF THE HOLY SEE'S MOUNTING FRUSTRATION BOTH WITH THE CONTINUING CYCLE OF VIOLENCE AND ISRAELI POLICY ON THE BARRIER AND SETTLEMENTS. NICHOLSON NNNN 2003VATICA05365 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL