HOLY SEE URGES USG TO PRESS ISRAEL TO EXTEND SUSPENSION OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000159 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/1/2016 TAGS: PREL VT LE SUBJECT: HOLY SEE URGES USG TO PRESS ISRAEL TO EXTEND SUSPENSION OF AIR STRIKES IN LEBANON REF: VATICAN 158 CLASSIFIED BY: Christopher Sandrolini, Charge d'affaires a.i., EXEC, State. REASON: 1.4 (d) ¶1. (C) Holy See Acting Foreign Minister Pietro Parolin called August 1 to ask that Charge d'affaires come see him later in the day about Lebanon; he previewed the meeting by urging the USG to support an extension of the current 48-hour pause in Israeli aerial strikes. Parolin said the papal nuncio in Israel had earlier called him to plead that -- despite its known opposition to a ceasefire at present -- Israel be pressed to extend the current "suspension". Parolin stressed that any step which could save lives and "avoid another Qana" must be taken, and would create conditions for envoys to work on a longer-term solution. He said he would be calling the Israeli ambassador with the same request. ¶2. (SBU) Post urgently requests guidance for the meeting later today (1700 Italy time),and will report results promptly. SANDROLINI