Communicated by Tourism Ministry Spokeswoman Jerusalem, 19 January 1998 Tourism Minister Katzav Statement on 2000 Jubilee Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism Minister Moshe Katzav, on Sunday, 18.1.98, informed Vatican Secretary for 2000 Jubilee Monsignor Saffa that Israel has invested the sum of $750 million over the past few years in preparations for the 2000 jubilee. The minister presented to Monsignor Saffa the Israel 2000 report and briefed him on its details and plans for Nazareth, Jerusalem, the Kinneret region and entry ports to Israel. Monsignor Saffa (who was recently appointed to replace Monsignor Sabastiani) told Minister Katzav that the Holy See views the year 2000 as an opportunity to combine Rome and Jerusalem in a single package. He added that the Vatican believes that many pilgrims arriving in Rome will choose to continue to Jerusalem, though he did not give any estimate of numbers. Monsignor Saffa emphasized the committee's determination to cooperate with Israel in all matters concerning the preparations and sharing of mutual information. He repeated his invitation for Israeli representatives to join the International Committee, consisting of 120 Church representatives from all over the world, that will meet in February in order decide the list of religious events that will be held in Rome and Jerusalem in 2000. It was further agreed at the meeting that an Israeli representative would meet the committee headed by Monsignor Saffa several times a year, in order to update each other and prepare specific evaluations. Rome is also seeking solutions for the number of pilgrims expected to arrive. Israel's Ambassador to the Vatican Aharon Lopez is likely to be the Israeli representative on these matters. Monsignor Saffa noted that the Vatican is about to open an internet site which will inform the world of their preparations for the year 2000. In response to Minister Katzav's comments that the infrastructure condition of a number of Christian holy sites, including churches and/or church controlled areas is poor, Monsignor Saffa said, for the first time, that the Church is prepared to invest funds to repair and improve these sites, as well as new infrastructures, for the 2000 jubilee. Tourism Ministry Senior Deputy Director-General Shabtai Shai raised at the meeting the issue of training of priests as tour guides, and emphasized that the government of Israel insists that the right given to the Church to train priests as tour guides should not be abused, and requested that methods be found to prevent this. He also suggested that the Vatican recommend to pilgrims to also visit modern Israeli sites, in order to bring Christians and Jews closer together and to deepen mutual friendship. Monsignor Andreatta, who heads Romana Opera, the Vatican's travel agency, replied that the Vatican will insist that its groups use Israeli tour guides for general tours and priests only for religious tours. Monsignor Andreatta requested that the Tourism Ministry recommend modern Israeli sites for pilgrims to visit, and noted that the Israel 2000 Report will presented at the Vatican's exhibition for the 2000 jubilee. Minister Katzav invited Monsignors Saffa and Andreatta to visit Israel, and they said that they would be pleased to do so in the near future. TOURISM MINISTER KATZAV BRIEFS CABINET ON MEETING WITH POPE (Communicated by Tourism Ministry Spokeswoman) Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism Minister Moshe Katzav yesterday (Sunday) 18.1.98, briefed the Cabinet on his meeting last Thursday 15, 1998, with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. Minister Katzav said that a Papal visit is on the horizon, and that plans for the visit is on the Papal agenda. The two also discussed the plans for the 2000 jubilee and the need for cooperation. Minister Katzav said that the Pope is interested in the peace process and the situation in the negotiations, adding that the Pope accepted Katzav's answers, and expressed hope the peace process will develop positively. According to Katzav, the Pope emphasized that Jerusalem is important to Christianity. Katzav replied that every stone in Jerusalem tells the story of 4000 years of Jewish history. The Pope responded that the Jews are the elder brother of the Christians. Minister Katzav reported to the Cabinet that he presented the Pope with a medallion produced by the Government Coins and Medals Corporation for the 2000 jubilee, and told him a personal story: "During the previous papal visit to Israel, I was studying in the 12th grade at the Be'er Tuvia. I wrote a letter that was published in "Yediot Ahronot", in which I complained that President Zalman Shazar had presented a medallion to the Pope on which was written, 'Visit to the Holy Land'. I demanded that 'Visit to the Holy Land of Israel' should have been written. Now, I myself in my capacity as a member of the government, am presenting you a medallion in honor of the 2000 jubilee on which is also written, 'Holy Land'.