VZCZCXRO4863
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHTV #0146/01 0171153
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171153Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5039
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 000146 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KIRF KWBG IS
SUBJECT: CODEL WOLF AND PM OLMERT DISCUSS ROLE OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS 
IN PEACE PROCESS 
 
REF: 2007 SECTO 14 
 
TEL AVIV 00000146  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  On January 8, Congressmen Frank Wolf (R-VA) and 
Joe Pitts (R-PA) -- accompanied by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of 
Washington, former Ambassador and Congressman Tony Hall, and DCM -- 
met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to discuss the efforts 
of the Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land 
(Interfaith Council) to promote coexistence among Muslims, 
Christians and Jews in Israel and the Palestinian territories.  The 
brief meeting was warm and cordial, and focused on efforts to bring 
the Interfaith Council into the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian peace 
process, as well as improving GOI relations with the Holy See.  See 
para 7 for Interfaith Council background.  End Summary. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Seeking a Role in the Peace Process 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Prime Minister Olmert opened the meeting by expressing 
optimism on the upcoming visit of President Bush and satisfaction 
with the good meetings he had earlier in the day with Tony Blair and 
PA President Abbas.  Olmert agreed with the codel that it was 
important for people of all religions to learn to live together in 
peace.  He emphasized that he had learned much about the diverse 
religious beliefs present in Israel and their impact on politics 
while he was mayor of Jerusalem.  He stressed that the very 
diversity which was potentially divisive in Jerusalem was in fact 
its strength, and was key to moving forward in the difficult peace 
process. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Congressman Wolf congratulated Olmert on his leadership 
and wished him the best in the upcoming meetings.  He noted that the 
Interfaith Council was asking all religious leaders in the U.S. to 
pray the first Sunday of every month for peace in the Middle East. 
He also recounted the positive steps the Interfaith Council had 
accomplished in just a year since its creation, including a series 
of constructive joint statements and the establishment of a 
mechanism to monitor and respond to religious incitement directed at 
the adherents of any faith. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Ambassador Hall asked Olmert if he would be willing to 
meet with the Interfaith Council and its lead Israeli coordinator, 
Rabbi David Rosen.  Ambassador Hall argued that such a meeting would 
go a long way in reinforcing the council's credibility and would 
allow the council to continue bringing religious leaders together to 
further the peace process.  Olmert responded that he would be 
delighted to meet with the council and he could see nothing but 
"benefits" from such a meeting.  Olmert went on to praise the 
council's work and promised to support their efforts. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Congressman Pitts suggested that the Interfaith Council 
could play a role in the monitoring process that would accompany the 
Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.  In particular, he thought 
the council could add value by monitoring textbooks and the 
educational curriculum in the West Bank.  Olmert responded that this 
was a good idea and that he would explore the possibility. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Visa Restrictions for Christian Clergy 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Cardinal McCarrick pointed out the Vatican and the GOI 
have had a formal and "very special" relationship since the signing 
of the Fundamental Agreement over 14 years ago.  Echoing earlier 
statements by other senior Vatican officials, McCarrick said he was 
concerned that the relationship was being strained due to the 
inability of both sides to reach a consensus on the visa issue.  The 
Vatican understood and respected the GOI's legitimate security 
concerns with regard to granting visas for people to enter Israel or 
the Palestinian territories.  However, the policy of restricting 
visas for Christian clergy and laypeople of Arab origin was 
unnecessary and damaging to Israel's international reputation. 
McCarrick expressed concern that many Catholic as well as Lutheran 
and other Christian projects were jeopardized due to a lack of 
progress on the visa issue.  Olmert thanked the Cardinal for 
bringing this issue to his attention and promised to work with the 
MFA to resolve the issue.  Olmert promised to find a solution and 
bring the "special relationship" back to where it should be. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Background on the Interfaith Council 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶7.  (U) The Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land was 
established in late 2006 at the initiative of Cardinal McCarrick and 
Ambassador Hall, with financial support from USAID and the Norwegian 
Government.  The council is comprised of the leaders of the three 
Abrahamic faiths in Jerusalem, as recognized by the Israeli and PA 
 
TEL AVIV 00000146  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
governments.  Its stated purpose is to make the religions of the 
Holy Land an instrument for peace rather than an excuse for 
conflict.  The council meets in or near Jerusalem on an ad hoc basis 
(every 1-2 months), sometimes with the participation of McCarrick, 
Hall or other international supporters.  Secretary Rice met with the 
council during her October visit to Jerusalem (reftel). 
 
¶8.  (U) The Council consists of: 
 
Jewish: 
Chief Sephardic Rabbi Shlomo Amar 
Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yonah Metzger 
Chief Rabbi of Haifa Shear-Yashuv Cohen, Chief Rabbinate 
Rabbi David Rosen, Chief Rabbinate, American Jewish Committee 
Inter-religious Affairs Director 
Oded Weiner, Chief Rabbinate 
 
Christian: 
Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilus III 
Latin Patriarch Michel Sabah 
Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem Suheil Dawani 
Lutheran Bishop of Jerusalem Munib Younan 
 
Muslim: 
Sheikh Taysir Al-Tamimi, Supreme Judge of the Islamic Courts, 
Palestinian Authority 
Minister Jamal Bawatna, PA Minister of the Waqf 
Sheikh Mraish 
Sheikh Hamed Al-Tamimi 
Salah Zuheikeh, Director, Fatah for Jerusalem 
 
¶9.  (U) Codel Wolf has cleared this cable. 
 
JONES