Tzachi Hanegbi, Minister of Regional Cooperation of the State of Israel, met Pope Francis briefly in an aside from the General Audience in St. Peter’s Square on June 14, 2017.
According to a press release of the Israeli Embassy to the Holy See, published the following day, the Minister then held talks with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States.
During the meeting, he addressed the progress made towards the conclusion of the Financial Agreements between Israel and the Holy See, during the meeting of the Bilateral Permanent Working Commission between the Holy See and the State of Israel the previous day. Works that unfolded “in a cordial atmosphere that reflects the special relations between the two States and the two religions,” stressed Tzachi Hanegbi.
The Commission continued the negotiations on the basis of Article 10§2 of the 1993 Fundamental Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Israel, in view of the signing of a document.
Tzachi Hanegbi is also interim Israeli Minister for Communications. Previously he was Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Health, of Transport, of Justice, of Public Security as well as of the Environment.
