The Vatican Joins the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
by Leonard Hammer
Middle East Quarterly
Fall 2017 (view PDF)
With the 2015 Comprehensive Agreement between the Holy See and the Palestinian Authority, the Pope Francis Vatican formally acknowledged the "state of Palestine." The agreement secured protections for the local Catholic population, holy sites, property, and financial interests.
In May 2015, the Comprehensive Agreement between the Holy See and the Palestinian Authority (PA) was signed. With this agreement, the Vatican formally acknowledged the "state of Palestine." A spokesman for the Vatican confirmed, "It's a recognition that the state exists."[1]
The agreement establishes both the standing[2] and mode of interaction[3] between the Catholic Church and the PA (and by extension, Israel), and describes the church's interests in the Holy Land.[4] In exchange for the Vatican's formal recognition,[5] the PA agreed to provide a broad gamut of religious benefits,[6] not only for security for the local Catholic population to pursue its religious interests[7] but also for protection of key holy sites, property, and financial interests.[8]
http://www.meforum.org/6897/the-vatican-joins-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict
