Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TELAVIV2746
2007-09-12 04:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:
GOI PROMISES NO PATHWAY AROUND SEA OF GALILEE
how-toVZCZCXRO4917 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHTV #2746 2550407 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 120407Z SEP 07 FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3239 INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 2816 RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 1092 RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 7886 RUEHFR/USMISSION UNESCO PARIS 0014 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 002746
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV KIRF VT IS
SUBJECT: GOI PROMISES NO PATHWAY AROUND SEA OF GALILEE
WITHOUT APPROVAL OF CHRISTIAN HOLY SITES
REF: A. STATE 97360
B. TEL AVIV 2087
Classified By: PolCouns Marc Sievers for reasons 1.4 (b)(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 002746
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV KIRF VT IS
SUBJECT: GOI PROMISES NO PATHWAY AROUND SEA OF GALILEE
WITHOUT APPROVAL OF CHRISTIAN HOLY SITES
REF: A. STATE 97360
B. TEL AVIV 2087
Classified By: PolCouns Marc Sievers for reasons 1.4 (b)(d).
1. (C) MFA Bureau of World Jewish and Inter-Religious Affairs
Head Shmuel Ben-Shmuel and MFA Director for Religious Affairs
Bahij Mansour assured poloff September 6 that the planned
construction of a pedestrian pathway around the Sea of
Galilee (Kinneret) would not traverse or otherwise infringe
upon the properties of the Christian holy sites situated on
the lake's northern shore (reftels). After interventions by
the Embassy, Papal Nuncio and others, Ben-Shmuel and Mansour
said the MFA had recently succeeded in "sensitizing" those
involved in the plan to the need to protect the sanctity and
integrity of the major Christian sites on the Sea of Galilee.
"No one in the government wants to offend the holy sites and
hurt tourism," Ben-Shmuel said.
2. (C) Ben-Shmuel and Mansour noted that the MFA had won
agreement from all implementing parties -- the Interior and
Tourism Ministries, the Society for the Protection of Nature,
and lakefront municipalities -- not to implement the plan
without prior consultation with the affected sites. Mansour
showed poloff letters of assurance the MFA received recently
from the various government authorities involved in the
project. Ben-Shmuel said that if problems arise during
implementation, "the Papal Nuncio only has to call the MFA
and we will take care of it." Ben-Shmuel added that he had
recently briefed Vatican Deputy FM Parolin on the issue, and
that Parolin had "accepted our assurances."
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
JONES
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV KIRF VT IS
SUBJECT: GOI PROMISES NO PATHWAY AROUND SEA OF GALILEE
WITHOUT APPROVAL OF CHRISTIAN HOLY SITES
REF: A. STATE 97360
B. TEL AVIV 2087
Classified By: PolCouns Marc Sievers for reasons 1.4 (b)(d).
1. (C) MFA Bureau of World Jewish and Inter-Religious Affairs
Head Shmuel Ben-Shmuel and MFA Director for Religious Affairs
Bahij Mansour assured poloff September 6 that the planned
construction of a pedestrian pathway around the Sea of
Galilee (Kinneret) would not traverse or otherwise infringe
upon the properties of the Christian holy sites situated on
the lake's northern shore (reftels). After interventions by
the Embassy, Papal Nuncio and others, Ben-Shmuel and Mansour
said the MFA had recently succeeded in "sensitizing" those
involved in the plan to the need to protect the sanctity and
integrity of the major Christian sites on the Sea of Galilee.
"No one in the government wants to offend the holy sites and
hurt tourism," Ben-Shmuel said.
2. (C) Ben-Shmuel and Mansour noted that the MFA had won
agreement from all implementing parties -- the Interior and
Tourism Ministries, the Society for the Protection of Nature,
and lakefront municipalities -- not to implement the plan
without prior consultation with the affected sites. Mansour
showed poloff letters of assurance the MFA received recently
from the various government authorities involved in the
project. Ben-Shmuel said that if problems arise during
implementation, "the Papal Nuncio only has to call the MFA
and we will take care of it." Ben-Shmuel added that he had
recently briefed Vatican Deputy FM Parolin on the issue, and
that Parolin had "accepted our assurances."
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
JONES