The Vatican cannot formally recognize Israel because it would compromise the pope’s impartiality in the Persian Gulf war and might endanger Christians in Arab countries, the authoritative Jesuit journal Civilta Cattolica stated in an editorial Thursday.
The journal, whose texts must be approved for publication by the Vatican Secretariat of State, cited other obstacles in the way of diplomaticties between Israel and the Holy See.
The editorial largely repeated a four-page statement issued by the Vatican last month explaining why it did not formally recognize Israel.
The first problem, it said, was the Palestinians. “The Holy See feels that this is a situation of international injustice which continues to hit the weakest people and cannot be accepted,” the Jesuit journal said.
The second difficulty is the status of Jerusalem, which “must have a special internationally guaranteed status as a city holy for Jews, Christians and Moslems.”
The third problem, according to Civilta Cattolica, was the condition of the Catholic and Christian communities and institutions in Israel and the territories it administers.
“It is evident that the Holy See desires that these difficulties be eliminated as soon as possible, or that at least on Israel’s part there be a clear readiness and concrete will to initiate the process of solution, as is happening in other countries with which until now the Holy See did not have diplomatic relations,” the editorial said.
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