VATICAN – ISRAEL – DOSSIER
Minister Poraz: some improvements, but problems persist with the Holy See

17 September, 2004

Rome (AsiaNews) –  The meeting of Tuesday, September 14, with
Angelo Cardinal Sodano, Secretary of State, revolved around
problems concerning visas, tax measures for the Church in Israel and
the ownership of the Cenacle in Jerusalem: this is what Avraham Poraz
himself, Israeli Interior Minister told AsiaNews, while on visit to
Vatican City on the eve of the Jewish New Year.  In the afternoon
of the same day, the minister also paid a brief call on Pope John
Paul II at Castel Gandolfo.

“The visa problem — the minister explained to AsiaNews — has
been the source of many complaints in the past.  For a visa to be
issued, authorization was required from another ministry, that
of Religious Affairs.  The process was complicated and did not
work.  Now, at the request of Prime Minister Sharon, visas depend
on the Interior Ministry alone and this has speeded up the
process and improved service.  The only difficulty left is for
people arriving from countries hostile to Israel (Saudi Arabia,
other Arab countries, etc…) who are subject to screenings and
can be denied entry.  The Vatican says: but we know these people! 
And so we ask the Vatican to vouch for them.  By doing so, the whole
question will be greatly simplified.  The Holy Said has said that is
is prepared to do this.  In this way, someone takes responsibility
for these people.  I think, therefore, that the visa question is
all but resolved.”

Tax exemptions for religious intitutions was another question
discussed in Tuesday’s meeting.  The minister explained that measures
for tax exemptions date back to the British Mandate.  The question
of tax measures is part of the agenda for the implementation of the
Fundamental Agreement between Israel and the Holy See.  “According to
our laws — Poraz explained — places of worship (churches, synagogues,
etc.) are exempt from taxes.  If these institutions include shops
or offer accomodations for a fee, then taxes can be levied.  The
only outstanding problem is concerning monasteries, where religious
communities are housed.  I have decided that they should not pay
taxes, but pay only for municipal services, such as cleaning, sewage,
water, etc.  Municipalities need these taxes because otherwise they
would not be able to offer such services.”

Another matter mentioned by Poraz concerns the ownership of the
Cenacle, once a property of the Franciscans, then of the Muslims
and now of the Israeli government.  On the occasion of John Paul
II’s visit to the Holy Sites in the Holy Land, there had been talk
of the possibility of returning the place of Jesus’ Last Supper to
the Church.

Poraz said that “the problem today is a disagreement among the various
Churches on who is to take possession of it.  And Israel cannot enter
into this disagreement.  The Orthodox Church and Armenian Church have
the right to pray there, together with the Franciscans.  There are
problems with the use of all the Holy Sites, but these are settled
by the rules of the Status Quo.  There are no such rules for the
Cenacle.  Everyone is expecting a decision from Israel, but there
is no concrete decision yet.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress