Vatican diplomat: Relations with Israel better before diplomatic ties

Published: 2007-11-19

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- With new problems over visas for foreign priests and the long, ongoing negotiations needed to resolve the tax status of Catholic institutions in Israel, the Vatican's former ambassador to the country said relations were better before there were full diplomatic ties. Archbishop Pietro Sambi served as the Vatican nuncio to Israel for seven years before being named the nuncio to the United States in 2005. An interview with the archbishop was published Nov. 16 in the online edition of Terra Santa magazine, a publication of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. Archbishop Sambi told the magazine, "To be frank, relations between the Catholic Church and the state of Israel were better when there were no diplomatic relations." Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, told reporters Nov. 17 that Archbishop Sambi's remarks reflected "his thought and personal experience." The Vatican, Father Lombardi said, continues to hope "for a rapid conclusion of the negotiations already under way" and for close cooperation in resolving "the existing problems."

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