Bad News Behind the Scenes

Politicians can't be trusted, and Israeli ones are worse than most.

For years the Vatican has been trying to get control over Jewish Holy Places, such as Mount Zion. Just over a year ago, we "batttled" to save Mount Zion, and we knew that it was just a battle, since the Vatican will not give up. And now it's time to fight again! (thanks Ellen!)

Israel and Holy See Plan 2 Key Meetings
Posted on December 08, 2006

Catholics and Israelis are awaiting with hope a pair of meetings of the Israel-Holy See Permanent Bilateral Commission on key issues in the Church-state relationship.

A delegation of the Israeli government visited the Holy See on Nov. 27 to renew its invitation to Benedict XVI to visit Israel and to establish an agenda of negotiations.

Israeli representative Aaron Abramovich explained after the visit that two meetings were scheduled to overcome the differences in the implementation of the Fundamental Agreement between the Holy See and the state of Israel.

The first meeting in December will be attended by experts from the Vatican and Israel. The second meeting in January will be attended by governmental ministers.

The Fundamental Agreement between the Vatican and Israel, establishing diplomatic relations between both states, was signed on Dec. 30, 1993.

On Nov. 10, 1997, the Holy See and Israel signed a second significant treaty, with which the Mideast country recognized the Church's juridical personality and its agencies.

Both agreements were ratified and came into force on the basis of an international plan on March 10, 1994, and Feb. 3, 1999, respectively.

However, despite the passing of years, to date neither of the agreements has become law.

Speaking on Vatican Radio, Franciscan Father David Jaeger, jurist and Mideast expert, referred to the two forthcoming meetings and expressed the hope that they might "come to the longed-for agreement … negotiations have been under way since March 11, 1999."

"Relations are friendly," the priest said. "With the resumption of negotiations it is obvious to all that relations will be in a better state. I think that everyone, both Israelis as well as Catholics, are now anxious to see that these relations have an affable stability, which the conclusion of the agreements will be able to give them.

"Above all, there should be a conclusion to the agreement that is currently being negotiated, whose intention is to assure the Church of the ownership of the holy places that belong to it, and to confirm the tax exemptions, recognized also by international law."

Olmert to Discuss Iran/PA with the Pope 20:30 Dec 07, '06 / 16 Kislev 5767

(IsraelNN.com) When Prime Minister Ehud Olmert meets in the Vatican next week with Pope Benedict XVI, they will discuss a number of issues including Iran and the PA (Palestinian Authority).

The pope has recently held meetings with Iranian officials as well as with PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyah, who heads the Hamas administration.

Mr. Olmert will call on the pontiff to make public statements against Iran’s continued call for the eradication of the State as Israel, as well as seeking the Vatican’s assistance in strengthening Islamic moderates in the region in the hope of preventing fundamentalists from gaining power.

And another behind the scenes move which shows how little our politicians regard our own rights.

Dec. 9, 2006 20:17
Labor, Meretz MKs sign deal with Palestinians
By GIL HOFFMAN

A delegation of Labor and Meretz MKs met with a group of Palestinians from the Fatah party at Jerusalem's Ambassador Hotel on Friday and reached an agreement with them calling on both their governments to renew diplomatic negotiations.

The MKs included Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh and Colette Avital of Labor and Meretz leader Yossi Beilin.

The Palestinians included former PA ministers Yasser Abed-Rabbo and Fares Kadoura, who initiated the Geneva Initiative with Beilin three years ago.

The agreement said both sides would push for a peace agreement based on an Israeli return to pre-1967 borders and it called for the implementation of the bipartisan Baker-Hamilton report that was delivered to US President George W. Bush last week.

There's a drought here in Israel; not enough rain has fallen. According to our sages, the quantity of rain is in direct proportion to our righteousness as a People.

Need I say more?