putin of course, an almost paranoid small russian who resents the breakup of the soviet much as hitler resent the defeat of germany in world war 1 has been nuclearizing and arming iran and syria with missiles. Obama's yes we can hit the wall with putin who has total disdain for him. Not only is obama not connected viscerally to israel as an ally, ron paul speaks for many americans in totally dissociating from israel. Its 67 years since the holocaust. israel has grown up. As ron paul said, if you feel you need to do something, then do it but don't consult us and bother us. That is your headache. Bibbi and barak have been beseeching europe and USA to do something about iran and for various reasons they are not interested. So shut the hell up and do what you have to do or live with iran. End of story and stop bothering usa

I Wonder if Shimon Peres was involved?

It's a shame that we don't defend what we have

which sound utterly paranoid to me. The Vatican wants a disproportionally large amount of influence in the Holy Land. There is no reason to assume the ultimate goal is to ban Jews from the old city. Anyhow, he has a point in asking: 'who does the Vatican think it is'. I don't see any protestant denominations claiming sovereignty over Jerusalem's holy sites. Does the Israeli government demand ownership of Nachman's tomb? The answer is no. Why? Because it would be blatantly absurd and ridiculous. The Vatican, being a country of itself, should apreciate other countries' territorial integrity. The Israeli negotiators should have grown a pair and told them off.

joint management of some sites, which could lead to future conflicts, but Israel should demand the same from the actual territory of the Vatican.

No inch of Eretz Israel to no one. No self respecting nation would give up sovereignty of an inch of they Land. Its unbelievable how this idiots giving away what dont belong to them but to all Am Israel.

Commendable article. Israel must stop the Vatican's conquest of Jerusalem. The Israeli government must reject this deal and close the door on the Vatican. In addition, Israel should insist that the Vatican return all of the Holy Temple possessions the Romans stole from Israel 2000 years ago.

Meotti is right, Jewish history is too precious to' be merchandise in this way

its not enough that the coward olmert gave up a spot in jerusalme to russian soverignty. Now it wants to give it up to rome. What are you- a bunch of dumb cowards?!! israel belongs to the jews. Russian can visit its courtyard and christians so visit their holy sites. End of story-waht the hell is going on here. The whole labourite movement ran its course and in the process, israel has lost its soveriengty. Even now bibi says he wants to continue talks with abbas. For what purpose-kameinie wants rid of your entity. So its time for israel to say that it ayatollah entity of iran is a cancer that will be eliminated. Why the hell don't you say it??!! Israel should not always be on the defensiive. Okay, I'll say it for you- the ayatollah illegal entity of iran is a cancer that has to be wiped out and all who will confront iran will be supported by israel.

Why does Israel support Christian bubba meisers? Because of tourist dollars, which come from Christians over Jews by a thousand-fold, at least. There is no scientific record that the person who supposedly ate his last meal their ever existed. Even if he did, the Catholic Church has no idea where he ate his last meal. This is another manufactured-for-profit-from-the-gullible shrine, like Lourdes, known by the Catholic Church to have never had the apparition that generated its publicity. But that doesn't stop thousands of people a day from paying thousands of dollars to have their gurneys pushed to the grotto. And that's what this is all about. Israel makes money from the Vatican's ability to make money from this. Just don't ask either of them to show any evidence The Last Supper took place at that location.

present-day Israel have to bow to foreign Power ?(unless it's the US of A) WE gave them Old Testament, WE gave them Jesus, WE gave them their basis for moral conduct, why on earth would I have to sacrifice sovereignty in my own Land? The can ask "pretty please" before setting foot on my property and not vice versa. Nuff said.

Is it the Pope's most important problem ? In Europe the number of roman catholics is declining rapidly. Churches are empty, priests are extincting. But mosques, pagodas and hinduic holy sites are full, and new ones are beeing build every week.

AFFAIRES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hugo Chavez took from the Vatican all properties....... Why Israel have to give away properties? in exchange of what? The pope isn't even defending cristians from death in african and Philipines, but need properties in Israel.

Tell the Vatican "No, No, No, No and No" to their control of any part of Jerusalem. This is our Eternal Capital. Let them advance a claim on Mecca, if they dare! The days of Jewish kneeling are over.

Please don't give up sovreignty to the roman catholic church?! That would be a huge mistake never to be reversed and a huge err in good judgement!

It could be good deal in so far the Vatican is brougt to make an end to his subversive venimous campaing via NGO's namely n Belgium accusing Israel of all sins as the nazi's used to do, and even more.. Remenber Christian military expeditions (11 th- 13th cent.) to recover the Holy Land from the Moslims.

As much as I disapprove of this action by the gov't It does outsource the burden of security to the Vatican. Any terrorist activity against these sites now means aggression against the Catholic Church and not the loathed nation of Jews....thoughts? I still disapprove of this decision...

Rome expelled everyone of Jewish descent from Y'rushalayim in 135CE. Are they giving it to them again without a fight and forgetting about all the soldiers that gave their lives to win it back????

It is not so simple. We Israeli would love to be more independent and act according to what we think is best. Unfortunately the US is holding us by the balls. We are forced to receive the 3+ billions in aid (no cash money, mind you) Without it, the same "benevolent" US would refuse to sell us anything for our military needs, even at a higher price. Then, you see our dilemma as since we don't need weapons to parade around like some other European country but as a insurance against the crazies of the Middle East. We are to provide in return a foothold here and Israeli intelligence and military know-how as well. Our hands are tied PS 1>The so called aid we receive actually costs us over $6Billions in lost development of local industries and unfulfilled foreign sales. 2> The US is actually subsidizing its own weapon industries by forcing over countries to receive this aid. A large % of this is returned to the gov. as taxes.

Millions of Jews all over the world have been murdered because of the anti-semitic poison spread by the Roman Catholic Church. For more than a thousand years they have persecuted us, murdered our children and forced us from our homes. Just seventy years ago these barbarians murdered one and one half million Jewish children under the age of five. Only the sickest of minds would allow them access to our Holy sites. Only the most evil of minds would turn our Holy sites over to them. We live in a world that abhors justice. We live in a country that fails to believe in its historic destiny. Our leaders have betrayed our trust.

After having been raised with the Roman-Catholic church I had always a strange feeling on this organization. It's a cold cleric establishment. It's a ruthless apperatus to exert power! Giving them sovereignty over holy sites in Jerusalem will give them a reason to interfere with discussions on the status of Jerusalem! This must never happen!

if US aid costs Israel $6 billion in lost development then dont take they aid! That way Israel would be $6 billion better off and America would be $3 billion better off. Its a win-win situation. You know it makes sense. Please write to AIPAC and tell them that US aid is hurting Israel.

Brother Chaim. Although you have ceased to dialogue with me through Ynet, I don't give up. You must think more about your blind radicalism. My church, and other christian ones, have, already, recognized its crimes against Jewish people. We admire and support Israel, with few and bad exceptions. I have no doubts about Israelian full sovereignty over all Jerusalem. The Pope demands, only, a religious permission; never a territorial gain. Holy Land is Jewish at first, but not exclusively. Try to be less fanatical, please.

Mr. Menachem. I can not deny the bad deeds you have written. We, true Catholic and Christians, do repudiate those shameful crimes committed agains Jewish people by our churches. But listen that there were some lights over the shadows. Saint Maximilian Kolbe, arrested in Auschwittz-Birkenau, offered himself to be dead into a gas chamber instead of a Jewish child. Many Christians, during II World War, into occupied Europe, have hidden Hebrew people, braving prison or death. Nowadays, we must be united for a better world. The Cross and the Star of David symbolize peace, solidarity and good works. Than, don't hate us and accept our friendship. Sincerely.

are we talking about the same vatican who kept hitler going and the vatican whom still hold stolen possesions from the Holocaust. Yet again christianity seeking to destroy Judaism just as it has for 2000 years.

In this case I do not stand at all with Israel. I can't even believe what I have read. The article was written badly, so maybe the writer has gotton other things wrong. It is hard to understand if Israel did, or they haven't yet committed. The Roman Catholic Church should go back home, and leave the holy sites with the ones that are protecting them. I'm mad! I've been over there, and the last thing I would want to see is the furniture of the Catholic church in those places.

It is enough it is taken into good custody, and defended by local authorities. If given away, anyone can claim territories into the other country, and that is completely crazy.

You look very sincere and kind, but please, go to Israel, look at its littleness, its responsibility over all questions regarding respect to all religions and peoples, and you will agree with the so called fanaticals you are critizing, you will turn fanatical to defend Israel too.