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Viewing cable 06TELAVIV2923, ISRAEL CLAIMS IT IS SEEKING CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06TELAVIV2923 2006-07-27 10:06 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Tel Aviv
null
Carol X Weakley  07/27/2006 01:07:44 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Carol X Weakley

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
UNCLAS        TEL AVIV 02923

SIPDIS
CXTelA:
    ACTION: POL
    INFO:   RES ECON DCM DAO IPSC AMB AID RSO ADM CONS PD
            IMO

DISSEMINATION: POL
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: POL:NOLSEN
DRAFTED: POL:MDPEARLSTEIN
CLEARED: POL:BBERNSTEIN-ZABZA, POL:JMILLER, CONGEN:MMELLINGER

VZCZCTVI233
PP RUEHC RUEHXK RUEHROV
DE RUEHTV #2923/01 2081006
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271006Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5213
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 002923 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KIRF PHUM IL
SUBJECT: ISRAEL CLAIMS IT IS SEEKING CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO 
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE VATICAN 
 
REF: TEL AVIV 06847 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  MFA Division Director for Religious 
Affairs Zvi Tal told Staffdel Lara Alameh July 9 that the GOI 
is considering creative options to advance GOI-Vatican 
negotiations for a concordat on fiscal and legal matters, but 
Tal did not elaborate on what the creative options might 
entail.  Alameh highlighted concerns about commercial 
development encroaching on the Daughters of the Charity 
Hospice in Jerusalem.  Tal noted that the project is now 
wholly private and, following the conclusion of a public 
zoning process, the municipality had lost its ability to 
intervene.  Tal also promised to look into restrictions on 
access to Bethlehem for East Jerusalem Palestinians.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
---------------------------------- 
STATUS OF GOI-VATICAN NEGOTIATIONS 
---------------------------------- 
 
2.  (SBU) MFA Division Director for Religious Affairs Zvi Tal 
briefed Staffdel Alameh and Poloff on the status of GOI 
negotiations with the Vatican for a concordat on fiscal and 
legal matters.  Tal explained that GOI and Vatican 
negotiators met in mid-May, but that Foreign Minister Tzipi 
Livni recently told her Vatican counterpart that each side 
should be "more creative" in seeking a solution.  Tal did not 
provide any details about the creative ideas that the GOI 
claims to be considering, but noted that the directors 
general from the MFA and Finance ministries are scheduled to 
meet in mid-July to coordinate approaches aimed at reaching a 
breakthrough.  Tal said that such a meeting could set the 
stage for a bilateral meeting by the end of July.  In the 
absence of formal bilateral meetings, according to Tal, 
GOI-Vatican working groups continue to discuss technical 
matters. 
 
3.  (SBU) Tal also discussed his recent meeting with the 
Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Antonio Franco, during which Tal 
said he described the problem of exempting Catholic 
institutions from a tax that would apply to all other 
religious bodies and institutions.  Tal said that he related 
to the Nuncio that Jewish and other religious groups would 
complain about a tax benefit exclusive to the Catholic Church 
and that domestic political repercussions would follow for 
the Israeli government.  Tal said that he told the Nuncio 
that taxes must be applied in a non-discriminatory manner and 
that an addendum to an agreement with the Vatican could 
assure the non-discriminatory collection of taxes. 
 
------------------------------------- 
DEVELOPMENT SURROUNDING THE DAUGHTERS 
OF THE CHARITY HOSPICE IN JERUSALEM 
------------------------------------- 
 
4.  (SBU) Alameh highlighted her concern about commercial 
development that is encroaching upon the Daughters of the 
Charity Hospice in Jerusalem.  Tal said that the municipality 
had been a partner in the development project when it first 
commenced.  Approximately ten years ago, however, the 
development project became wholly private, which is why the 
government cannot intervene, he claimed.  Alameh mentioned 
specific lease provisions that protected the hospice (e.g. 
access to natural light), but Tal asserted that there had 
been a public zoning process that allowed for public input on 
development at the site and he surmised that the nuns who 
oversee the hospice did not participate in the process. 
Alameh stressed that the problems the hospice faces 
illustrate the necessity for an agreement with the Vatican. 
If such an agreement were in place, Alameh explained, then 
the Nuncio could handle such legal and technical affairs. 
 
5.  (SBU) The hospice attorney, Naiem Khoury, informed ConGen 
Poloff July 12 that the hospice and the construction company 
developing the site next door had reached a tentative 
agreement, whereby the access road serving the hospice will 
remain under its sole control in return for the hospice 
dropping its objections to the height of the new buildings. 
Khoury expressed concern, however, over the planned location 
for above-ground gas tanks next to the access road, which may 
impede vehicular traffic.  End note.) 
 
----------------------------------------- 
RESTRICTIONS EAST JERUSALEM PALESTINIANS' 
TRAVEL TO BETHLEHEM 
----------------------------------------- 
 
6.  (SBU) Alameh also questioned Tal about 
recently-introduced restrictions that made it more difficult 
for residents of East Jerusalem to get to Bethlehem.  Tal 
said that he is not familiar with the details, but he agreed 
that the situation was "odd."  He promised Alameh that he 
would obtain additional details on why the changes were 
implemented. 
7.  (U) This cable was cleared by staffdel. 
 
********************************************* ******************** 
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv 
 
You can also access this site through the State Department's 
Classified SIPRNET website. 
********************************************* ******************** 
JONES