The Vatican and Israel are negotiating a swap on archaeological relics that will enrich the collections of museums in Israel and Italy, it was learned here today. Sources said the negotiations came about after the Vatican decided to establish a Palestinian branch at its museums next year and needed objects to illustrate the Biblical ages of the Patriarchs. In exchange, the Vatican plans to give Israel ancient Etruscan, Roman and Jewish objects found in catacombs near the Appian Way, the sources said.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.