Israel’s Ambassador to Italy, Zeev Shek, and Egyptian Culture and Information Minister Elsawi shook hands at the Vatican today and wished each other success for the Camp David talks. The two men headed delegations received by Pope John Paul the day after his investiture. The brief encounter came after their audiences with the Pope.
Shek told the Pope he brought a “benediction from Jerusalem” and quoted a Biblical reference saying: “The Almighty will give strength to his people, the Almighty will bless his people in peace.” The Pope said: “May there be peace in the Holy Land.”
An Israeli Embassy spokesman said that when Shek was driving from St. Peter’s Square last night after the investiture, an unidentified person shouted: “Thank you for what you are doing for the Christians in the Lebanon,” and the surrounding crowd applauded. Five Lebanese were detained for distributing pro-Christian leaflets during the investiture.
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