Vatican recognition of the State of Israel cannot be expected soon, according to Cardinal Johannes Willebrands, president of the Vatican’s Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews.
The Dutch-born Willebrands conveyed that message to Dutch Catholic bishops visiting Rome this week, according to reports reaching here.
Willebrands had been asked about the prospects of Catholic-Jewish dialogue. He replied that a sharp distinction must be made between religious and political dialogue.
A religious dialogue must take priority. But a political dialogue is not to be expected soon, nor is Vatican recognition of Israel, the cardinal said. He added that by no means do all Jews in the world identify with the State of Israel.
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