The Holy See hopes that a political line of convergence of efforts is found, said Monsignor Silvano Maria Tomasi, Permanent Observer at the UN in Geneva, on December 6, 2017. He warned against the risk of “new violence” the day after the announcement of the President of the United States to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to transfer its Embassy there.
Monsignor Tomasi recalled on Vatican Radio the Holy See’s position: “Two independent States, respectful of each one’s rights – an Israeli State and a Palestinian State.
“Jerusalem must remain accessible to the three great Abrahamic religions: to Christians, to Muslims, and to Jews. The fact of saying that Jerusalem is only the capital of Israel, with the juridical consequences that could follow, would certainly complicate this position, which has always been supported by the United Nations and by the Holy See,” he reminded.
According to Monsignor Tomasi, at present a member of the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development, “a political line must be found, not of division but of convergence to guarantee the peace. We see that there is great need to work together, to understand one another, otherwise, these affirmations break what is somewhat the international consensus and brings the risk of new violence. And we must avoid that in every possible way,” he stressed.
Translation by Virginia M. Forrester
JF
