Vatican City The Vatican came under fire from Israel today after signing a historic first accord with Palestine, two years after officially recognising it as a state. The accord, which covers the activities of the Church in the parts of the Holy Land under Palestinian control, wa
Vatican City
The Vatican came under fire from Israel today after signing a historic first accord with Palestine, two years after officially recognising it as a state.
The accord, which covers the activities of the Church in the parts of the Holy Land under Palestinian control, was the first since the Vatican recognised Palestine as a state in February 2013.
The product of 15 years of discussions, the agreement was finalised in principle last month despite Israel's opposition to both the symbolism of Palestine signing international accords and the specific content of the agreement.
"This hasty step damages the prospects for advancing a peace agreement, and harms the international effort to convince the Palestinian Authority to return to direct negotiations with Israel," Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said in a statement.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Al-Maliki said at today’s signing ceremony that it would "not have been possible without the blessing of his Holiness Pope Francis for our efforts to reach it".
Paul Gallagher, the British archbishop who is the Vatican's de facto foreign minister, signed the accord on behalf of the Holy See in the presence of guests including Vera Baboun, the mayor of Bethlehem, the Palestinian town considered to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ.
