In his Angelus reflections this week Pope Benedict XVI spoke of Sunday’s Gospel where we hear how the unclean spirit recognizes Jesus as the “Holy One of God”. He also marked World Leprosy Day, joined his prayers to the International Day of intercession for peace in the Holy Land and together with the young people of Catholic Action Italy, released two white doves as a sign of peace above the city of Rome.
HOLY SEE AND PLO MEET IN RAMALLAH
Joint Communiqué on the bilateral meeting between the Holy See and the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Following to the resumption of the bilateral negotiations between the Holy See and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), an official meeting took place at the headquarters of the Palestinian President in Ramallah on the 28th of January 2012.
The talks were co-chaired by Msg. Ettore Balestrero, Under-Secretary for the Holy See’s relations with States and Minister Ziad Al-Bandak, Palestinian President’s advisor for Christian relations.
The Palestinian side handed to the Holy See Delegation the response to the draft agreement proposed by the Holy See in the previous meeting, and the talks took place in a positive atmosphere to strengthen further the special relations between the two sides. The Delegations agreed to set-up technical teams to follow up on the draft, in preparation of the plenary session in the Vatican City in the near future.
The Holy See Delegation was composed of H.E. Archbishop Antonio Franco, Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine, Msgr. Maurizio Malvestiti, Under-Secretary of the Congregation for Oriental Churches, Msgr. Alberto Ortega, Official of the Secretariat of the State of the Holy See, Msgr. Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag, Counsellor of the Apostolic Delegation in Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Delegation was composed of Dr. Nabil Shaath, Member of the Fatah’s Central Committee, Dr. Bernard Sabella, Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Mr. Issa Kassissieh, Deputy Head of PLO’s Negotiations Affairs Department, and Mr. Wassim Khazmo, Policy Advisor at PLO’s Negotiations Support Unit.