Entry into force of the Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Palestine signed on 26 June. The Vatican said today, explaining that “the Holy See and the State of Palestine have notified each other of the completion of procedures required for its entry into force.” The agreement came after 15 years after the ‘basic agreement between the Holy See and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) that was signed on 15 February 2000, and which was the starting point of negotiations.
The agreement, consisting of a preamble and 32 articles, “essential respects the life and activity of the Church in Palestine, reaffirming at the same time support for a negotiated and peaceful solution of the conflict in the region”, said the Vatican . Also important is the part that concerns the protection of the holy places from the regime of the ‘Status quo. It is recognized then the local Church, an active part in diplomatic negotiations that led to the Agreement, the right to operate in the areas of education, welfare, social interaction and communication. Among the next steps could be also the opening of an embassy in the Vatican State of Palestine. He had announced in recent months the Palestinian Foreign Minister, Riyad al-Maliki.
A perspective but could create new tensions with Israel, which has harshly criticized the award given, with the signing of a document official and legal, by the Holy See to the State of Palestine. In the text of the agreement, now in force, is expressed “‘s wish for a solution to the Palestinian question and the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians as part of the Two-State Solution,” explained Monsignor Antoine Camilleri Osservatore Romano, Secretary for Relations with States, behind the signing of the agreement. It would be “positive – explained the head of the Vatican delegation – that the agreement could somehow help the Palestinians to see established and recognized State of Palestine independent, sovereign and democratic living in peace and security with Israel and its neighbors, at the same time encouraging somehow the international community, particularly those most affected, to take more action to help achieve a lasting peace and to the desired two-state solution. “
The search for a solution to the conflict in the region has also been the object of the prayer of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Msgr. Fouad Twal, yesterday, in his first start of 2016: “In the year that begins today, will continue to pray for peace in our land, because the Israelis and the Palestinians to abandon the ways of violence and put themselves on the road to peace . The Lord, when the time comes, we will grant peace and reconciliation. “
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