News Brief

-4/4/04

The Vatican's top diplomat in the Holy Land has publicly rebuked Israeli officials for refusing to renew the visas of Christian clergy and volunteers.

Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the head of the Apostolic Delegation in Jerusalem, issued his strongly worded complaint at a public gathering of fellow clergy at the invitation of the Israeli Tourism Minister, Benny Elon.

Just hours before he spoke, the Israeli interior minister, Avraham Poraz, issued a request to the Immigration Police not to

arrest Christian clergy who reside in Israel, even if they did not have the proper residency papers with them.

Israeli police now have the legal power to arrest and deport all in this category, although so far no church leader has reported that any staff have been forced to leave.

Archbishop Sambi however said this step did not go far enough reports Ecumenical News International (ENI).

It is estimated that hundreds of priests, nuns and Christian volunteers have not been granted permission to remain in Israel.

Recently, however a member of Christian Peacemaker Teams was denied re-entry to Israel

In recent months several monks and nuns have also been held by Israeli immigration police for lacking legal authority to be in the country.

Israel's continuing refusal to grant residence visas to more than 130 Catholic Church delegates is now seriously straining relations with the Vatican.