US embassy cable - 02VATICAN3634

UNCLAS VATICAN 003634 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT. EUR FOR A/S JONES, EUR/WE (MENNUTI) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, IT, VT 
SUBJECT: POPE CONDEMNS DESECRATION OF JEWISH CEMETARY AND 
ANTI-SEMITISM 
 
 
1. (U)  POPE JOHN PAUL II CONDEMNED GROWING ANTI-SEMITISM IN 
EUROPE AFTER THIRTY-FIVE JEWISH GRAVES IN A ROME CEMETERY 
WERE DESECRATED JULY 18.  IN A TELEGRAM TO ROME'S CHIEF 
RABBI JULY 19 PUBLISHED ON THE VATICAN'S WEBSITE, THE POPE 
DESCRIBED THE DESECRATION AS A "DETESTABLE ACT THAT FOLLOWS 
OTHER SIMILAR EVENTS OF A SERIOUS NATURE THAT HAVE TAKEN 
PLACE WITH ALARMING FREQUENCY IN EUROPE AND ON OTHER 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  03634  231459Z 
CONTINENTS."  THE POPE "STRONGLY CONDEMNED SIMILAR IGNOBLE 
ACTS AND ANTI-SEMITIC SENTIMENTS THAT INSPIRE SUCH ACTS, AND 
OFFERED HIS SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE ACTS. 
 
2. (SBU)  COMMENT: THE POPE REGULARLY SENDS MESSAGES TO 
COMMUNITY AND NATIONAL LEADERS IN RESPONSE TO MAJOR 
CALAMITIES.  HIS TELEGRAM TO ROME'S JEWISH COMMUNITY IS THE 
ONLY ONE IN RECENT MEMORY TO CONDEMN ANTI-SEMITIC ATTACKS, 
AND SUGGESTS A GROWING CONCERN ON THE PART OF THE VATICAN 
FOR THE RISE OF ANTI-SEMITISM IN EUROPE.  A JOURNALIST 
CONTACT TOLD US THAT OVER DINNER THE PREVIOUS NIGHT, THE 
ISRAELI DCM HAD MENTIONED HE WAS NOT EXPECTING VATICAN 
COMMENTARY ON THE DESECRATION.  EMBASSY HAS RECENTLY 
ENCOURAGED CURIA OFFICIALS TO USE THE HOLY SEE'S MORAL VOICE 
TO COUNTER RESURGENT ANTI-SEMITISM AND OTHER FORMS OF RACISM 
AND XENOPHOBIA IN EUROPE.  END COMMENT. 
 
NICHOLSON 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2002VATICA03634 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED