Israel Cabinet Officially Welcomes Pope Paul’s Visit to Israel

Israel’s Cabinet, meeting at its regular weekly session here today, issued a statement officially welcoming the forthcoming visit of Pope Paul VI. The statement said the visit will be a “memorable event,” and assured that everything will be done by the Government to make all arrangements consonant with the Pontiff’s “unique status” in the world.

A special Ministerial committee to deal with all details surrounding the scheduled visit was appointed by the Cabinet. The committee is headed by Prime Minister Levi Eshkol and includes the Ministers of Religious Affairs, Foreign Affairs and police–with the Premier’s office in overall charge.

Foreign Minister Golda Meir reported to the Cabinet on Pope Paul’s forthcoming visit. A spokesman for the Cabinet said “in view of the importance that the Cabinet attaches to this matter,” it issued the following statement:

“The decision by Pope Paul VI to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, which he announced at the Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church, is of great importance. This is a unique and memorable event. The Government of Israel, welcomes the Pope’s intention to visit our country. Every effort will be made to ensure that the conditions of the visit, and all the necessary arrangements, will be in full keeping with its declared purpose and the unique status of the Pope for hundreds of millions in the Catholic Church and in the world as a whole.”

Israel’s Embassy in Rome forwarded to Jerusalem the text of the Pope’s announcement to the closing meeting of the second session of the Ecumenical Council on his planned visit but officials in Jerusalem said that nothing more had been received. However, they went ahead with plans for strict security precautions.