Israel criticized a sharply worded Vatican statement that allowing construction of a mosque near the main Christian shrine in Nazareth was intended to aggravate tensions between Muslims and Christians. In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, Israel said the criticism “recalls the time-honored convention of accusing the wrong party.” The exchanges reflect the most serious strains between Israel and the Vatican since the two established diplomatic relations in 1994.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
