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| Pope Francis welcomes Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, right, as he arrives at the Vatican, Sunday, June 8, 2014. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca, Pool) |
Jerusalem says move not conducive to peace, will consider ‘next steps’ after Holy See announcement ahead of weekend meeting between pope, Abbas
The Vatican officially recognized the state of Palestine in a new treaty Wednesday, drawing criticism from Jerusalem.
The treaty, which was finalized Wednesday but still has to be signed, makes clear that the Holy See has switched its diplomatic relations from the Palestinian Liberation Organization to the state of Palestine.
The Vatican had welcomed the decision by the UN General Assembly in 2012 to recognize a Palestinian state.
But the treaty is the first legal document negotiated between the Holy See and the Palestinian state and constitutes an official recognition.
“Yes, it’s a recognition that the state exists,” said the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi.
Israeli officials criticized the Vatican announcement.
“We’re disappointed by the decision taken by the Holy See. We believe that such a decision is not conducive to bringing the Palestinians back to the negotiating table,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Emmanuel Nahshon told The Times of Israel.
“Israel will study the agreement and consider its next steps accordingly,” a brief statement from the ministry said.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is due to see Pope Francis on Saturday before the canonization of two new saints from the Holy Land a day later.
The text of the treaty “deals with essential aspects of the life and activity of the Catholic Church in Palestine,” a Vatican statement said Wednesday.
“Both Parties agreed that the work of the Commission on the text of the Agreement has been concluded, and that the agreement will be submitted to the respective authorities for approval ahead of setting a date in the near future for the signing.”
The Vatican has been referring unofficially to the state of Palestine for at least a year.
During Pope Francis’ 2014 visit to the Holy Land, the Vatican’s official program referred to Abbas as the president of the “state of Palestine.” In the Vatican’s latest yearbook, the Palestinian ambassador to the Holy See is listed as representing “Palestine (state of).”
The Vatican’s foreign minister, Monsignor Antoine Camilleri, acknowledged the change in status, given that the treaty was initially inked with the PLO and is now being finalized with the “state of Palestine.” But he said the shift was simply in line with the Holy See’s position.
This isn’t the first time that the Vatican under Francis has taken diplomatic moves knowing that it would ruffle feathers: Just last month, Francis referred to the slaughter of Armenians by Turkish Ottomans a century ago as a “genocide,” prompting Turkey to recall its ambassador.
Raphael Ahren contributed to this report.
Source: The Times of Israel
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