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VATICAN SEEKS PACT FOR JERUSALEM
VATICAN, Nov. 14, 00 (CWNews.com) -- The Holy See has entered a new plea for international guarantees protecting access to the holy sites of Jerusalem.

Speaking at the United Nations, during a debate on the status of Palestinian refugees, Archbishop Renato Martino said that Jerusalem's shrines should be protected against all sorts of political maneuvers. In the course of his address-- which was delivered on October 30, but made public by the Vatican on November 14-- the archbishop reiterated the Vatican view that there should be "a statute guaranteed internationally to safeguard the holy places of Jews, Christians, and Muslims." He observed that these three great monotheistic religions account for 45 percent of the world's population, and consequently Jerusalem should be seen as a common "spiritual patrimony" for humanity.

The "unique character" of Jerusalem as a city sacred to three great religions makes it essential that religious leaders, not politicians, control the holy sites, Archbishop Martino said. "The holy places should be protected against use for political ends."

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Even so come, Lord Jesus
Linda

I found some information that is most interesting. The Latin Patriarchiate of the Holy Land is an Arab who spars frequently with Israel. He is very much in favor of a Palestinian state. He was appointed to the post in 1988 by Pope John Paul II. He is the first Arab to hold the post.

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All patriarchs had been Italians since the Catholic Church was restored to the Holy Land in 1847 after its post-Crusades banishment. The pope wanted to send a message of support to indigenous Christians by appointing one of their own to the highest-ranking local church position. . . .

In a recent interview, Mor said that on a personal level he and Sabbah are friendly and often chat amiably in Arabic. But the formal and official relationship is a different matter.

"He sometimes forgets he is a religious leader," Mor said. "He becomes very political. He makes statements that we don't expect from a religious leader. . . ."

He routinely denounces Israeli authorities for confiscating identity cards from Palestinians, for closures that restrict Palestinian movement into Israel, for what he calls the Israeli "siege" that is choking Palestinian life. Only rarely, however, has he criticized Arafat's Palestinian Authority.

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Even so come, Lord Jesus
Linda

[This message has been edited by Linda Sutton (edited November 26, 2000).]

Also of Interest is a request by Israel to the UN.

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Israel is pushing an initiative to hand sovereignty on the Temple Mount to permanent members of the UN Security Council, in the latest effort to break through to a final status agreement with the Palestinians.

Among those involved are the governments of the United States and Egypt, who proposed the idea, French President Jacques Chirac, and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Prime Minister Ehud Barak asked the French President to participate in this effort because of the important position of France, both as current president of the European Union and a permanent member of the Security Council. Another unspoken reason for the French role is that, unlike the United States, Paris would not be "suspected" of favoring Israel.

During a long telephone conversation with the French President several days ago, Barak explained that the Temple Mount issue was blocking the achievement of a final status agreement with the Palestinians. He also emphasized that the problem involved the unwillingness of the Palestinians
and the Muslim world to recognize the special claim the Jewish people historically have on the Temple Mount.

Barak said even the Western Wall is considered holy for Islam, and Muslims are unwilling to recognize the rights of Jews and Israel to the site, and will merely concede their right to pray there.
As a result, Barak said, Israel rejects out of hand the claim of Palestinian chairman Yasser Arafat for Palestinian or Muslim sovereignty over the Temple Mount. The prime minister told Chirac that in any future arrangement the status quo over the holy sites would be preserved, and the Temple Mount would remain in the hands of the Jerusalem waqf.

Israel now believes bringing the Temple Mount under the aegis of the international community could be the best way to safeguard the rights and interests of both faiths, while retaining the status quo on the ground.

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