US embassy cable - 01VATICAN3118

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 003118 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR: NEA/IAI, EUR/WE 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 83/001 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 06/07/11 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, XR, VT 
SUBJECT: VATICAN ENVOY VISITS ISRAEL; ISRAEL/VATICAN 
RELATIONS DETERIORATE 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CDA JOSEPH MERANTE, REASONS E.O. 12958 1.5 
(B), (D). 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  03118  111552Z 
 
1. (C)  POPE JOHN PAUL II DISPATCHED PIO CARDINAL LAGHI TO 
MEET ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER SHARON AND PALESTINIAN 
AUTHORITY CHAIRMAN ARAFAT ON JUNE 2.  VATICAN MIDDLE EAST 
DIRECTOR MONS. GIOVANNI D'ANIELLO ACCOMPANIED LAGHI. 
CHARGE CALLED ON D'ANIELLO JUNE 6 FOR READ-OUT OF TRIP. 
D'ANIELLO SAID THAT SOLE PURPOSE OF THE TRIP WAS TO EXPRESS 
THE POPE'S DESIRE THAT THE VIOLENCE STOP.  D'ANIELLO SAID 
THAT THE VATICAN DID NOT PROPOSE ANY NEW POLITICAL 
SOLUTIONS TO THE ARAB/ISRAELI CONFLICT, AND DID NOT RAISE 
ITS DESIRE TO SEE AN INTERNATIONAL FORCE DISPATCHED TO 
ISRAEL AND THE TERRITORIES.  CHARGE ASKED ABOUT LAGHI'S 
STATEMENTS WHICH ISRAELI CONTACTS INTERPRET AS JUDGING 
SETTLEMENT EXPANSION AS THE MORAL EQUIVALENT OF THE SUICIDE 
BOMBINGS.  D'ANIELLO  SAID THAT LAGHI'S INTENT WAS TO SAY 
THAT BOTH THE VIOLENCE, AND THE "PROVOCATION" TO VIOLENCE, 
MUST END.  D'ANIELLO ADDED VERY LITTLE INSIGHT TO THE 
VISIT, BUT DID SAY THAT THE VATICAN HAD NO PLANS TO 
UNDERTAKE A SECOND MISSION. 
 
2. (C)  IN A FOLLOW-UP CONVERSATION, ISRAEL EMBASSY DCM ZVI 
TAL GAVE A/DCM AN EARFUL OF HIS EMBASSY'S VIEWS ON THE 
DETERIORATION OF RELATIONS WITH THE HOLY SEE.  RECITING A 
NUMBER OF SLIGHTS DATING BACK TO NOVEMBER 2000, TAL SAID A 
PATTERN HAS EMERGED OF THE VATICAN BACKING OFF FROM ITS 
PREVIOUS COMMITMENT TO CATHOLIC-JEWISH DIALOGUE.  BEGINNING 
WITH THE VATICAN'S REFUSAL TO COORDINATE WITH THE ISRAEL 
EMBASSY A COMMEMORATION OF THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE PONTIFF'S 
HISTORIC VISIT TO THE HOLY LANDS, THROUGH A SERIES OF MINOR 
SLIGHTS (LIKE NOT RECEIVING VISITING KNESSET MEMBERS) TO 
THE QLACK OF BALANCEQ IN LAGHI'S PUBLIC COMMENTARY THIS 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        VATICA  03118  111552Z 
WEEK, TAL ASSERTED THAT THE VATICAN HAS BEEN CLOSING DOORS 
ON DIALOGUE WITH THE GOI.  TAL SHARED WITH A/DCM A COPY OF 
THE POPE'S LETTER TO PM SHARON (FAXED TO EUR/WE), NOTING 
THAT EVEN THAT MISSIVE CONTAINED THE QCODE WORD JUSTICEQ, 
TO REFER TO A PERCEIVED VATICAN TILT TOWARDS THE 
PALESTINIANS.  THE ISRAEL EMBASSY IS NOT AT ALL HAPPY WITH 
THE STATE OF RELATIONS, AND IF FEARFUL THAT THINGS COULD 
GET WORSE.  TAL SAID HIS SOURCES INDICATE SECRETARY OF 
STATE CARDINAL SODANO IS THE FORCE BEHIND THESE 
DEVELOPMENTS.  (NOTE: SODANO IS PM EQUIVALENT AND REGARDED 
BY SOME AS A POSSIBLE PAPAL SUCCESSOR). 
 
3. (C)  COMMENT:  POST TOO HAS NOTED THAT THE VATICAN'S 
TILT TOWARD THE PALESTINIANS HAS BECOME SOMEWHAT MORE 
EVIDENT.  THERE ARE A NUMBER OF POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR 
THIS.  WE BELIEVE IT REFLECTS IN LARGE PART THE VATICAN'S 
UNDERSTANDABLE NEED TO MIND THE INTERESTS OF CHRISTIANS IN 
THE HOLY LANDS.  IT MAY ALSO REFLECT A VATICAN POLICY TO 
SUPPORT ARAFAT ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE EVIL YOU KNOW IS 
BETTER THAN THE EVIL YOU DON'T.  IT MAY REFLECT RESIDUAL 
ANTI-SEMITIC ATTITUDES THAT STILL EXIST AMONG SOME WITHIN 
THE VATICAN.  IT ALSO MAY REFLECT SODANO'S OWN POLITICAL 
MANEUVERING TOWARDS GREATER INFLUENCE, PERHAPS EVEN THE 
PAPACY, IN THE WANING DAYS OF JP II'S PONTIFICATE. 
MERANTE 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
> 
 

 2001VATICA03118 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL