c. 1997 Religion News Service

VATICAN CITY _ Pope John Paul II expressed”grave concern”Thursday (April 10) about renewed violence in the Middle East that he suggested was provoked by Israel’s settlement construction in a disputed area of eastern Jerusalem.”I renew the expression of grave concern with which the Holy See and the entire international community has noted the recent heightening of tensions in an already delicate and volatile situation,”the pope said upon accepting the diplomatic credentials of Israel’s new ambassador to the Holy See, Aharon Lopez.

The comments triggered Lopez’s first challenge as Israel’s new envoy, who denied the pope was blaming Israel’s settlement activity for the tension.”One can read in his remarks the concern about the situation, about tension, which of course I share myself,”Lopez said in an interview.”And I think both sides should do whatever they can do eliminate tension. But there was no reference whatsoever to settlements.” In recent weeks the pope has criticized Israel’s decision to build new settlements. But he has refrained from assigning blame for the violence.

In his meeting with Lopez, the pope’s remarks had an edge.”There are serious problems which daily touch upon the physical safety of individuals, both Israelis and Palestinians, and which threaten the possibility of release from the seemingly endless spiral of action, reaction and counter-reaction,”he warned.”This is in fact a vicious circle from which there can be no escape unless all parties act with genuine goodwill and solidarity.” The pope reaffirmed the Vatican’s position that any final agreement on the status of Jerusalem must not impede the rights of Catholics or Muslims to openly practice their faith.”The holy city, the city of peace, remains part of the common patrimony of the whole of humanity,”he said,”and must be preserved and safeguarded for all generations.” The pope also urged the Israeli government to ratify an agreement initialed between the Jewish state under the Rabin government and the Holy See that would give the Catholic Church full legal rights.

Lopez said he was confident the accord would soon be ratified by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.”I’m sure that in the very near future we are going to sign the agreement,”Lopez said.”The delay was because of a change of government and the need to study the nature of this issue and other legal issues.” Lopez, 61 and a career diplomat, said his meeting with the pope was”very enlightening and very moving.” He praised the 76-year-old pontiff’s repeated denunciations of anti- Semitism and his commitment to repair Jewish-Catholic relations.

Lopez also reiterated Netanyahu’s invitation to the pope to visit Israel.

The pope, who is scheduled to visit Lebanon next month for the first time, said he hoped to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land by the year 2000.

Israeli government officials and Vatican diplomats say the pope has put a trip to Israel on hold, until an agreement on the status of Jerusalem is near.

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