Call for Public Awareness as Israel Threatens to Hand Over Mt. Zion Complex and Tomb of King David

Committee to Save Mt. Zion by way of PRWeb ^ | 14DEC06 | Committee to Save Mt. Zion

[familyop]

Download this press release as an Adobe PDF document.

Jewish organization outraged that Mt. Zion complex in Jerusalem may be handed over to the Vatican as a political gift to the Pope by Israeli Prime Minsiter Ehud Olmert, ending Jewish sovereignty to the Tomb of King David

JERUSALEM, Israel (PRWeb) December 14, 2006 -- The 'Committee to Save Mt. Zion' wishes to alert the public that the Mt. Zion complex in Jerusalem may be handed over to the Vatican as a political gift to the Pope, ending Jewish sovereignty to the Tomb of King David, a traditional site of pilgrimage for persons of all religions and backgrounds; the Catholic Church has been seeking ownership of the location since 1920.

In October 2005, 'The Times of London' reported that Israel was about to hand over control of the reputed 'last supper room' in a building on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem. But due to public pressure, protests, political discussions, and the revealment of suspicious documents, the hand over was halted.

The recent December 2006 threatened handover came to the attention of the Committee to Save Mt. Zion via recent Italian news sources that indicated the Mt. Zion complex is on the agenda for negotiations between the Vatican and Israel. And that it will be a topic of conversation between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the Pope on Olmert's recent visit to Rome.

In a statement released to the media, the Committee stated that they find the subject of a handover of the Mt. Zion complex unacceptable. "We speak for Jews, Protestants and even Muslims that all revere the site as a place of pilgrimage, we don't want the Catholic Church to seize what has been a site of pilgrimage and turn it into the Eastern Vatican," said, Rick Halpern, a developer who is voluntarily working to restore major adjoining areas of Mt. Zion. He added, "We are having emergency meetings with members of the Jerusalem City Council, and we will use all democratic and legal means to oppose any agreement with the Vatican over the area in, around, or above the traditional Tomb of King David."

"Mt. Zion is a Jewish treasure," said Ellen Horowitz, an Israeli author and member of the Committee. "Although Israel's ambassador to the Vatican, Oded Ben Hur, denies any such negotiations over the Upper Room/Cenacle Shrine--Catholic and Vatican news sources continue to relentlessly promote such a concept," Horowitz added.

Among the requests of the Committee, they require assurances that the Mt. Zion complex, including King David's Tomb and the Diaspora Yeshiva Rabbinical School campus will not be infringed upon, nor will the Jewish nature and environment of the area be disturbed by Catholic religious rituals and services.

The Committee to Save Mt. Zion was established by the 'International Sephardic Leadership Council' during the previous threatened hand over to the Vatican in 2005. The Committee is made up of professionals, educators, media personalities, authors, historians, writers and Jewish leaders in both Israel and the North America. All persons of all backgrounds and religions that interested in saving Mt. Zion should join the 'Save Zion' email list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/savezion/ and visit http://www.sephardiccouncil.org/zion.html for further information.

[familyop]

That's as much of the title as the posting server would allow to be entered.

[familyop]

Ping!

[tet68]

I suppose they could always give it to the muslims...

Insane bump.

[RightResponse]

al-Asqa Mosque = Abomination of Desolation

False Prophet = Prophet Mohammed

Can't beleive Israel gave control of the Temple Mount to the Muslims in the first place. Why not this, too?

[stockpirate]

Some days I think I will not hear or read something that is over the edge, then I read something like this.

Why in God's name do this.

[familyop]

...more land for peace, I reckon.

Italian Prime Minister Wants Dialogue With Iran and Syria (Bloomberg piece - no reprint)

Italy also has the largest military force for the UN in Lebanon and is directing that effort.

Vatican Condemns Israel for Attacks on Lebanon
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1665678/posts

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano said Pope Benedict and his aides were very worried that the developments in the Middle East risked degenerating into "a conflict with international repercussions."

"In particular, the Holy See deplores right now the attack on Lebanon, a free and sovereign nation, and assures its closeness to these people who already have suffered so much to defend their independence," he told Vatican Radio.

Lebanese leaders call for unity [All of them support the terrorists. ...always have.]
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1668991/posts

US pressure prompts delay of [Israel's] offensive ("We do not want escalations" - White House)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1680983/posts

Israel Asks U.S. to Ship Rockets With Wide Blast-State Department seeks to delay supply
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1681771/posts

U.S. Directs Criticism at Israel
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1680666/posts

[agrace]

"What are they thinking" ping

[Alex1]

The place in question is the room tradition holds that the Last Supper took place. The existing room was built by Francisans in the 1100's and later converted into a Mosque.

It is a great act of diplomacy which would certainly help increase goodwill between these two ancient faiths.

[Suzy Quzy]

David is NOT in the area they call David's Tomb!!! No one knows where David is buried!!! Upstairs of this building is where the Last Supper is supposed to have happened (there is an ancient small well where one can undeerstand that Jesus washed the feet of the apostles), and above there is where the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles. It is way more of a Christian site than a Jewish site.

[Suzy Quzy]

Actually many of the sites of Christianity are on Muslim owned land!! The site of the Ascenscion and other sites!!

[Suzy Quzy]

Please read the article and my explanation....thanks.

[stockpirate]

Suzy Quzy, well thanks for the information.

I would someday like to go there but sadly not in this lifetime due to the strife.

And really no one knows where these events took place within the city.

[monkapotamus]

ping

[NYer]

Catholic Ping List
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[familyop]

"It is way more of a Christian site than a Jewish site."

It's in the Jewish homeland (Israel) as agreed in the Mandate. Most of the homeland has already been given to the Arabs again as demanded by the various nations through various threats against Israel.

[OPS4]

They will be doomed as a country the minute it is done.

[Esther Ruth]

http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=7977
Last Updated: 12/12/2006 16:32

VATICAN – ISRAEL

Olmert to tell Pope about Israel’s high regard for Catholic Church, says Israeli diplomat


Israel’s ambassador to Holy See tells AsiaNews PM’s visit to Benedict XVI and Secretary of State is important as bilateral talks between Israel and Holy See resume in Jerusalem.

The Cenacle on Mt Zion and holy sites around the Sea of Galilee remain sticking points.


Rome (AsiaNews) – Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s visit to the Vatican tomorrow is meant to show the Holy See Israel’s high regard for the Catholic Church and stress the importance of its presence in Israel as an “element that contributes to moderation, peace and dialogue,” Oded Ben Hur, Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See, told AsiaNews on the eve of Mr Olmert’s visit to Italy and the Vatican. The Israeli prime minister is scheduled to meet Pope Benedict XVI and the Vatican Secretary of State Card Tarcisio Bertone tomorrow.

“I can say that on our prime minister’s agenda the meeting with Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal Bertone, the secretary of state, will especially include this topic: the importance we assign to the presence of Catholic Churches in Israel as “an integral part of social life in Israel and as an element that always contributes to peace, moderation and dialogue.”

In recent days far right Israeli TV channel Arutz Sheva accused Olmert of going to the Vatican to return property on Mt. Zion to the Church, namely the ancient Franciscan monastery including the Cenacle, which is located above a section occupied by a Jewish group which believes it to be King David's tomb.

“Handing over the Cenacle to the Catholic Church is not on our Prime Minister’s agenda,” the ambassador said. It was all rumours, he explained, caused by Israeli extremists.

According to some sources, former Prime Minister Ehud Barak had promised to hand over the Cenacle to the Church to Pope John Paul II during his historic visit to Israel in March 2000.

Whatever the case, it has been known for quite a while that the issue is on the agenda of the Joint Holy See-Israel Commission. In fact, the Joint Commission is scheduled to meet tomorrow in Jerusalem to iron out some issues relating the 1993 Fundamental Agreement which has not yet been implemented in Israel.

In the meantime, concern is growing in Israel over Christian holy sites in Galilee as Israeli authorities plan to build a trail around the Sea of Galilee open to tourists. Officials from the Shrines of the Primacy of Peter at Tabgha and Peter’s house in Capernaum and others along the shores of the lake are concerned that the trail may go over their land disturbing pilgrims at prayer and perturb the monastic life of local religious communities.

“Plans for the trail are just preliminary,” Ben-Hur said. “I can assure you that the utmost consideration for the holy sites will be given. If difficulties cannot be solved, we shan’t build it. Today we are quiet aware of and sensitive to the needs of the Church.”

[fish hawk]

This does not matter at all as God has His thing with Israel and they have the books of Prophecy and it will all turn out God's way whether men in Israel think so or not. I don't worry one way or another about these things as I know God's will will be done , bottom line.

[trisham]

They will be doomed as a country the minute it is done.

****************

Why?