談判結束，梵諦岡將承認巴勒斯坦

【Comment】

以「條約」而不是公投，完成國際法下的「國家承認」並取得「國家資格」是建國的必要步驟。

雖然很多人心中仍不爽，但過去需要苦口婆心說明國際法理，現在不需要了。這是進步。

聯合國大會在2012年給予巴勒斯坦「非國家的觀察員」地位。梵諦岡就已經「實質上」以國家對待巴勒斯坦。現在，宣聯合公報宣示，雙方將簽署條約已完成程序。

條約將提及教會的財產、稅務與規範。

美國主辦的和談陷入僵局一年多，且以色列將出現鷹派政府（刪除巴勒斯坦國的用語），梵諦岡的行為正是時候。但這是政治。

宗教問題是，雖然梵諦岡譴責歐洲的反猶太主義，但美國的閃族主義者仍認為此舉代表天主教將重起對猶太的歷史性敵意。

這樣回想起來，2013年前任教宗本篤十六世（加入過希特勒青年團但拒絕加入武裝黨衛隊、曾發言疑傷害伊斯蘭信仰）罕見的提早退位，鋪陳並掃除現任教宗方濟各承認巴勒斯坦的障礙。為此，方濟各將在下週日封聖，其中兩位是巴勒斯坦的修女：Marie-Alphonsine與Mariam of Jesus Crucified Baouardy。

巴勒斯坦，從1988年起已經有135個國家承認。

The Vatican and the Palestinians○NYTimes(2015.05.15)

The practical effect of the Vatican’s decision to sign a treaty recognizing the state of Palestine is debatable, but it is a symbolic victory for Palestinians who are struggling to keep alive their dream of a Palestinian state, which has been thwarted by the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Vatican has effectively treated Palestine as a state since the United Nations General Assembly voted in 2012 to recognize Palestine as a nonmember observer state.  It has been referring unofficially to the state of Palestine for at least a year.  But the new treaty, addressing issues like properties, taxes and protocol at holy sites, will make clear the Vatican has formally switched its diplomatic relations from the Palestine Liberation Organization, which was named in earlier drafts, to the state of Palestine.

The announcement on Wednesday comes at an especially bleak moment for Israel-Palestinian peace efforts. American-led negotiations collapsed 13 months ago and Israel is about to install a new government that is widely considered more hard-line and hostile to a two-state solution than its predecessors.

On the eve of the March 17 elections, Mr. Netanyahu said flat out that no Palestinian state would be established during his tenure, and while he later softened his position, the possibility of any serious negotiating initiative seems dead.  The guidelines for Israel’s new government even omitted the term “Palestinian state.”

Many experts believe that Israel’s expansion of housing units for Israelis in the West Bank and East Jerusalem has made establishing a territorially coherent Palestinian state nearly impossible.  All of which has set the Palestinians on a quest for international recognition and support for sovereignty, ultimately to pressure Israel into talks.

Not surprisingly, Israel expressed disappointment at the Vatican’s decision and said it would not advance the cause of peace.  Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, was less restrained, telling The Washington Post the treaty represents a resurgence of the “historical Catholic enmity towards Jews.”

But Pope Francis has made it a point to improve relations with other religious denominations and has described the spiritual bond between Catholics and Jews as “very special.”  Last month, he condemned anti-Semitic incidents in Europe and declared that Christians and Jews must defend one another from discrimination and persecution.  He has also repeatedly demonstrated a commitment to social and humanitarian issues, speaking out with his moral authority on the need to confront inequality around the world.

While the Vatican’s announcement may carry special weight, it’s far from the only government to recognize Palestine.  Some 135 nations have recognized a state of Palestine since 1988.  In October, Sweden formally recognized the Palestinian state.  In recent months, parliaments in Britain, Spain, France and Ireland have urged their governments to do the same.  Meanwhile, international efforts are underway to increase pressure on Israel through boycotts and United Nations resolutions.

A negotiated Israeli-Palestinian deal on a two-state solution is the best chance for justice and peace.  But given the complete breakdown of negotiations, it is likely that more governments, in supporting the claims of the Palestinian people, will formally accept Palestine as a state.

HB Twal: Palestian saints are universal models of holiness○Vatican Radio(2015.05.15)

New Hope for the sons and daughters of Palestine, Jordan and the Middle East: Pope Francis will announce next Sunday the canonization of four nuns.  Two of them are Palestinians, namely Marie-Alphonsine, founder of Palestine’s first congregation, the Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of Jerusalem, and Mariam of Jesus Crucified Baouardy, the founder of Carmelite Convents in Bethlehem and India.

....

the full text of the summary statement released by the organizers

New Hope for the sons and daughters of Palestine, Jordan and the Middle East: Pope Francis will announce next

Joint Statement of the Bilateral Commission of the Holy See and the State of Palestine at the conclusion of the Plenary Meeting (13.05.2015), 13.05.2015

[B0365]

On 13 May 2015, the Bilateral Commission of the Holy See and the State of Palestine, which is working on a Comprehensive Agreement following on the Basic Agreement, signed on 15 February 2000, held a Plenary Session in the Vatican to acknowledge the work done at an informal level by the joint technical group following the last official meeting held in Ramallah at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine on 6 February 2014.

The talks were chaired by Mgr Antoine Camilleri, Under-Secretary for the Holy See’s Relations with States, and by Ambassador Rawan Sulaiman, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Multilateral Affairs of the State of Palestine.

The discussions took place in a cordial and constructive atmosphere.  Taking up the issues already examined at an informal level, the Commission noted with great satisfaction the progress achieved in formulating the text of the Agreement, which deals with essential aspects of the life and activity of the Catholic Church in Palestine.

Both Parties agreed that the work of the Commission on the text of the Agreement has been concluded, and that the agreement will be submitted to the respective authorities for approval ahead of setting a date in the near future for the signing.

The members of the Delegation of the Holy See were:

1. Mgr Antoine Camilleri, Under-Secretary for Relations with States;

2. His Excellency Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine;

3. His Excellency Archbishop Antonio Franco, Apostolic Nuncio;

4. Father Luciano Lorusso, Under-Secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches;

5. Mgr Alberto Ortega, Official of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State;

6. Father Emil Salayta, Judicial Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The members of the Palestinian Delegation were:

1. Ambassador Rawan Sulaiman, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Multilateral Affairs;

2. Ambassador Issa Kassissieh, Representative of the State of Palestine to the Holy See;

3. Mr Ammar Hijazi, Deputy Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Multilateral Affairs;

4. Mr Azem Bishara, Juridical Counsellor of the PLO.

[00805-EN.01] [Original text: English]

[B0365-XX.01]

http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2015/05/13/0365/00805.html