Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Netanyahu to meet Francis on 2 December

Benjamin NetanyahuThis coming 2 December, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a private meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican.

Netanyahu will meet the Pope as part of an intergovernmental summit between Italy and Israel which is expected to start off in the northern Italian city of Turin and then move to Rome. 

The meeting had originally was originally due to take place in October but was postponed for organisational reasons and will now coincide with the bilateral summit at the beginning of December.  
 
The private audience between Francis and Netanyahu will be a chance to discuss relations between the Jewish State and the Vatican and the situation in the Middle East. 

It will also be an opportunity to schedule the Pope’s future visit to Israel. Israel’s President, Shimon Peres had already invited the Pope to Israel when he visited Rome last May. 

The papal diplomatic visit will probably be scheduled for sometime next year.