Israel Matzav

Report: Israel to turn David's tomb over to the Vatican

A report in Makor Rishon (a Hebrew paper that is only distributed in hard copy and as a pdf by email) indicates that a deal has been reached to turn over to the Vatican control over David's tomb.

An investigative report in Makor Rishon cites La Stampa Vatican Insider journalist Andrea Tornielli as saying that the deal has been nearly completed, and that Deputy Foreign Minister Ze'ev Elkin is in charge of the negotiations with the Vatican, but Israel denies any such deal.

The agreement allegedly contains two elements. The first is Israel's forgoing the levying of property tax and other taxes for all “churches, holy sites, prayer houses and cemeteries.” The second is the transfer of the “Last Supper room” on the floor above David's tomb to the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land (Custodia Terræ Sanctæ).

Rabbi Yaakov Sevilia, an activist for King David's Tomb, told Arutz Sheva Sunday that there is also a deal between Christians and Muslims, according to which the Muslims will retain control over the Temple Mount whereas Mount Zion will become Christian property. He cited journalist Gulio Meotti, who contributes regularly to Arutz Sheva, as the source for this knowledge.

Rabbi Sevilia emphasized that the tomb is, without a doubt, the burial place of King David, and mentioned a recent book – “The Secret of David's Tomb” – as containing proof of this claim.

"The Christians believe that the Tomb of David is indeed located here, but they do everything possible to confuse us, the Jewish people, so that we lose our connection to this place,” he accused. He added that while there has been a Jewish awakening with regard to the site, the Christian presence at the tomb is still much greater than the Jewish presence, with about 200 tour buses bringing Christians to the site daily.

There have been reports in the past about a deal to transfer the second floor of the Tomb to the Vatican. Tornielli says that this is the core issue in talks between the Vatican and Israel.

Rabbi Sevilia claims that the Last Supper Room is just a toehold that the Vatican intends to expand in the future, in a ploy to take over the entire Tomb site.

Two points. First, I'd like to know what Israel is getting in this 'deal.' If anyone can find anything, please let me know because I don't see it.

Second, not that I'm advocating turning the site over to the Christians (the very fact that thousands of Jewish prayers have been said there makes the location holy to Jews), but the question of whether the tomb is actually located on Mount Zion is not quite as settled as Rabbi Sevilia is making it out to be. Last Succot, we did a tour of the City of David, in which we were shown a site (admittedly without a tombstone) which could potentially have been King David's burial place. And the location fit more closely with the scriptures (although I honestly do not remember how or why).

Labels: Catholic Church, Jews, Muslims, Old City of Jerusalem, Vatican

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:42 PM