Vatican and Israel Plan Full Ties Soon

JERUSALEM — Israel and the Vatican will establish diplomatic ties by the end of the year, a big step in improving relations between Jews and Catholics after a long history of friction, Israel’s ambassador in Rome said Tuesday.

“We believe that in the soonest possible time we will be closing the agreement with the Vatican, signing it in Jerusalem and forging diplomatic relations,” Ambassador Avi Pazner told Israel Army Radio. “There’s almost no doubt we’ll finish this matter by the end of the year.”

For decades, the Vatican has rejected full diplomatic relations with Israel, citing its treatment of Palestinians. Also, there was a desire not to offend Arab states with Christian minorities and a question of confiscated church property.

“Only the smallest and final details remain to seal the agreement, details that in my opinion pose no problem,” Pazner said. The Vatican said Monday that a joint commission set up to establish diplomatic relations had almost completed its work.

An Israel Television report on Tuesday said that an agreement will be signed Dec. 29 in Rome, after which ambassadors will be appointed and full relations completed with four months.

Today’s New York Times reports that the agreement is said to include a pledge by the church to join Israel in new efforts opposing anti-Semitism. The newspaper also says that the 14-point document reportedly guarantees Christians access to sites holy to them and assures the church freedom of expression in Israel, including the rights to carry out charitable functions, to own property, to maintain schools and to train and assign personnel.

Pazner said the Sept. 13 peace accord with the Palestine Liberation Organization prompted the Vatican to decide to forge ties with Israel, although the talks on the links began more than 18 months ago.

“The negotiations between us and the Vatican began after we started the peace talks,” he said. “The process sped up a lot after the agreement with the Palestinians that had a direct and good influence on the negotiations.”

Issues such as international guarantees for Jerusalem and the Palestinian issue were left to Middle East peace talks. The Vatican, which supports a Palestinian homeland, has always recognized Israel’s right to exist within secure borders.

Sources have said the Pope and Israeli President Ezer Weizman will most likely exchange personal representatives before the formal appointment of ambassadors. This will allow time for ironing out the church’s tax status in the Holy Land and give the Israeli Parliament time to ratify the agreement.

Israel Television said final understandings were reached in the past few days during a visit by the Vatican’s former secretary of state, Cardinal Agostino Casaroli.

The agreement is expected to clear the way for a visit by Pope John Paul II. The Pope was invited by Foreign Minister Shimon Peres but has not formally accepted. The last papal visit to the Holy Land, by Pope Paul VI, was 30 years ago.