Holy See - Israel Negotiations

The working session of the Holy See-Israel commission to negotiate the terms of the 1993 Fundamental Agreement took place late last week "in a cordial atmosphere." A joint communiqué issued by the Bilateral Working Commission Between the Holy See and the State of Israel noted that the meeting "produced progress toward the desired agreement." No details of the discussions were released.

The Fundamental Agreement established diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Israel and foresaw a series of subsequent accords outlining the juridical rights and responsibilities of each side. Since March 1999, the two sides have been negotiating the fiscal status and property rights of the Church, and in particular, safeguarding holy and institutional sites from expropriation.
The plenary session of the commission is set for Dec. 9 at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.