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.
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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.