THE VATICAN HAS INTERCEDED IN THE PALESTINE SITUATION TO INSIST THAT CHRISTIAN INTERESTS IN THE HOLY LAND BE PROTECTED AND WARN OF SERIOUS OMISSIONS IN THE PARTITION PLAN, IT WAS LEARNED IN CATHOLIC CIRCLES HERE TONIGHT, ACCORDING TO THE HAVAS NEWS AGENCY.
The Holy See was said to have addressed a formal communication to the British Government expressing the view that grave inconvenience might result to Christian interests from the application of the plan unless arrangements were mace to safeguard them beforehand.
IT WAS LEARNED THAT THE VATICAN NOTE WAS HANDLED DISCREETLY BY THE COLONIAL OFFICE AND THE MATTER WAS TAKEN IN HAND BY THE FOREIGN OFFICE, WHICH WILL DEAL WITH THE DIPLOMATIC ASPECTS OF THE PROBLEM.
THE VATICAN WAS SAID TO HAVE DECLARED IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CONCEIVE THAT THE STATUS OF THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION AND THE HOME OF THE SAINTS COULD BE SETTLED WITHOUT CONSULTATION BEFOREHAND WITH ROME.
RECALLING THE IMMENSE SPIRITUAL INTERESTS FOR WHICH THE POPE WAS GUARDIAN IN PALESTINE, THE LARGER NUMBER OF CONVENTS, ETC., THE HOLY SEE STRESSED IT WAS UNTHINKABLE THAT THESE SHOULD BE PLACED UNDER ISRAELITE OR ARAB AUTHORITIES.
IT WAS SAID TO HAVE ASKED THAT NEGOTIATIONS BE OPENED FOR THE PROTECTION OF THESE INTERESTS.
THE CATHOLIC CIRCLES HERE WHICH WERE AUTHORITY FOR THIS INFORMATION CRITICIZED THE MANNER IN WHICH THE PALESTINE AFFAIR WAS BEING HANDLED. THEY ADDED THAT THE GREEK ORTHODOX PATRIARCH IN JERUSALEM ALSO INTENDED TO RAISE THE QUESTION OF THE STATUS OF CONVENTS AND RELIGIONISTS IN THE HOLY LAND.
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.