US embassy cable - 04VATICAN564

UNCLAS VATICAN 000564 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE (LEVIN); NEA/IAI 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, WE, IS, VT 
SUBJECT: POPE CALLS FOR "FORGIVENESS, NOT REVENGE" IN 
MEETING WITH PALESTINIAN PM 
 
 
1.PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER AHMED QUREIA MET BRIEFLY 
WITH POPE JOHN PAUL II FEBRUARY 12 DURING HIS TRIP TO 
EUROPE TO RALLY OPPOSITION TO ISRAEL'S SECURITY BARRIER. 
THE POPE TOLD QUREIA THAT THE HOLY LAND NEEDED "FORGIVENESS 
NOT REVENGE, BRIDGES NOT WALLS," REPEATING THE THEME OF A 
MESSAGE HE GAVE DURING ISRAELI FM SHALOM'S VISIT LAST 
    DECEMBER 11 WHEN HE CALLED FOR "CONCRETE ACTS OF 
RECONCILIATION ON BOTH SIDES."  ADDRESSING QUREIA'S 
DELEGATION, POPE JOHN PAUL SAID THAT WHILE THERE ARE SOME 
SIGNS OF HOPE, "THE SAD SITUATION IN THE HOLY LAND IS A 
CAUSE OF SUFFERING FOR ALL."   THE PONTIFF CALLED FOR THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S HELP TO CONVINCE ISRAELIS AND 
PALESTINIANS TO TAKE UP THE "PATH OF DIALOGUE AND 
NEGOTIATION." 
2.THE POPE'S ADMONITION ABOUT BUILDING "BRIDGES NOT 
WALLS" ECHOES REMARKS HE MADE LAST NOVEMBER WHEN HE WAS 
EVEN MORE EXPLICIT IN HIS CRITICISM OF ISRAELI'S SECURITY 
BARRIER.  "THE CONSTRUCTION OF A WALL BETWEEN THE ISRAELI 
AND PALESTINIAN PEOPLE IS SEEN BY MANY AS A NEW OBSTACLE ON 
THE ROAD TO PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE," HE SAID AT THE TIME. 
DURING QUERIA'S VISIT, THE POPE VOICED HIS DESIRE "THAT ALL 
LEADERS OF THE REGION FOLLOW, WITH THE HELP OF THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, THE PATH OF DIALOGUE AND 
NEGOTIATION WHICH LEADS TO LASTING PEACE."  HE ALSO TOLD 
QUERIA THAT "NO ONE MUST YIELD TO THE TEMPTATION OF 
DISCOURAGEMENT, LET ALONE TO HATRED OR RETALIATION." 
3.COMMENT:  THE HOLY SEE, AND POPE JOHN PAUL II IN 
PARTICULAR, HAS BEEN CONSISTENT AND OUTSPOKEN IN ITS 
OPPOSITION TO ISRAEL'S SECURITY BARRIER, AS WELL AS IN ITS 
CONDEMNATION OF TERRORIST ATTACKS AGAINST ISRAEL.  AS 
S 
REFLECTED IN THE HOLY SEE'S FOCUS ON THE ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN 
CONFLICT IN THE RECENT MEETING WITH VICE PRESIDENT, THE 
HOLY SEE IS INCREASINGLY CONCERNED BOUT WHAT IT TERMS "THE 
SAD SITUATION IN THE HOLY LAND," WHICH IT NOTES IS "A 
SOURCE OF SUFFERING FOR ALL."  WE CAN EXPECT THE POPE TO 
CONTINUE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE SECURITY BARRIER AND IN 
    FAVOR OF DIALOGUE AND RECONCILIATION.. 
 
NICHOLSON 
 
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 2004VATICA00564 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED