ROMA (ITALPRESS) – The ambassador of Israel in Italy, Jonathan Peled, met today the Deputy Secretary General and Director General for Political Affairs of the Farnesina Cecilia Piccioni following the call by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. The convocation was decided as a protest for the grave denial of access to the Holy Sepulchre imposed, during Palm Sunday, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, and the Custos of the Holy Land, Father Francis Ielpo. During the meeting, an updated point was made, after the new provisions given by Prime Minister Netanyahu to ensure the immediate access of Cardinal Pizzaballa to the Holy Sepulcher to celebrate Mass. To the Israeli Ambassador – we read in the note of Fernesina – it has been stressed that Italy requires respect for the exercise of religious freedom, considering all believers who see the cradle of their faith in Jerusalem. The Italian Government believes that the reasons and methods of protests that Cardinal Pizzaballa has decided to adopt are absolutely understandable and totally shared; it does not consider that further comments by officials can help to advance the comparison.
It was also asked the Israeli authorities to protect the presence of Christian communities in Jerusalem and the West Bank, communities that carry out an important mediation and promotion of dialogue and tolerance. Italy is historically committed to the protection and promotion of freedom of religion and belief, also as a country of protection of the status quo of the Holy Places. The themes of the possible death penalty legislation currently being examined by Knesset were discussed: Italy adopted a joint declaration with France, Germany and the United Kingdom to express its concern over the possible approval of the bill which would lead to a discriminatory extension of the death penalty, urging Israeli decision makers to Knesset and the Government to reconsider this possibility. For Italy the death penalty is a form of inhuman and degrading punishment, devoid of any deterrent effect. That is why we oppose the death penalty. The refusal of the death penalty is a fundamental value.
The meeting also raised the issue of access to the Gaza Strip, in particular to carry out the initiatives of the humanitarian assistance programme “Food for Gaza”: the conditions of the Palestinian population in Gaza must remain at the utmost attention of the Israeli Government, to which we have asked to take every measure to ensure a decisive improvement in the food, health and general social conditions of the civilian population.
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
