The attitude of Catholics and Christians generally in the Arab countries is behind the Vatican’s reluctance to extend diplomatic relations to Israel, according to Bishop Pietro Rossano, a member of the Vatican commission for relations with Judaism.
“The Holy See is seeking to convince the Arab Christian communities to accept co-existence with the State of Israel,” Rossano said in an interview in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.
“It is necessary for the Jewish world to understand their touchiness,” he added, noting that substantial Christian communities exist in Syria, Iraq and Egypt.
“These communities have their sensitivities, which the Holy See must respect,” he said. Christian communities and not just Catholics “would find themselves in serious difficulties with their governments” if the Vatican recognized Israel before outstanding issues are resolved, the bishop said.
He said that if a solution was found to the “three juridical questions” that the Vatican last week said impeded relations with Israel, “this difficulty would be able to be overcome.”
The three points are the Palestinian question, Israel’s administration of the territories and the status of Jerusalem.
“On all three, there are U.N. resolutions censuring the decisions of the State of Israel,” Rossano said, adding, “The position of the Holy See is that of the United Nations.”
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