Vatican warns Israel against permitting the building of a mosque in al-Nasera

The Vatican on Wednesday warned the Israeli authorities against permitting the construction of a mosque near al-Beshara Church (the church of the Annunciation) in al-Nasera (Nazareth), northern Israel.

Papal nuncio Pietro Sambi told the AFP following a meeting with representatives of the Israeli Religious Affairs Ministry in Jerusalem, "I have, on behalf of all Christians, expressed opposition to building this mosque, a project which will be bad for the celebrations decided in the year 2000."

The papal nuncio said that all heads of Christian churches in the holy lands were ordered at the beginning of this month to shut down al-Nasera churches for two days in protest against the acts of violence practised by Muslims against Christians.

Replying a question on the possibility of cancelling the visit of Pope John Paul II to the holy lands next year, Sambi said, "We do not have to exaggerate."

The Pope expressed a wish to visit the cradle of Christianity by the end of the second millennium, but the Vatican has not set a date for such a visit.

The conflict relates to building a mosque just tens of meters from al-Beshara church. The mayor of al-Nasera Ramez al-Jareyshah, a Christian, intended to build a car park on this 1,890 square meter land in preparation for the second millennium

The Muslims who erected a huge tent on the said land want to build a mosque beside the tomb of the holy man Shehab eddine.