Vatican Information Service, September 6, 2007

Vatican City - "This morning, in the Apostolic Palace of Castelgandolfo, the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Shimon Peres, president of the State of Israel. The president subsequently went on to meet Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. Also present at the meeting were Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States, and Oded Ben Hur, Israeli ambassador to the Holy See.

"The cordial discussions enabled information to be exchanged concerning the recent renewal of contact between Israelis and Palestinians to restore peace in the Holy Land, while respecting United Nations Resolutions and agreements signed to date. The hope was expressed that in the current international context, which seems particularly favorable with an international conference scheduled for next November, each of the parties involved will make every effort to respond to the expectatiopns of their peoples, sorely tried by a crisis that has lasted 60 years and that continues to inflict mourning and destruction.

"Attention also turned to relations between the State of Israel and the Holy See, and the hope was expressed for a rapid conclusion to the important negotiations currently underway, and for the creation of constant dialogue between the Israeli authorities and the local Christian communities with a view to the full participation of those communities in constructing the common good. President Peres also renewed the invitation to the Holy Father to visit the Holy Land."

Catholic News Services

Castel Gandolfo, Italy - Pope Benedict XVI met with Israeli President Shimon Peres and expressed hope that new diplomatic moves can bring peace in the Middle East. After 60 years of suffering endured by the peoples of the region, it is imperative to make "every effort" to find a just settlement, the Vatican said after the September 6th meeting.

Following his 35-minute private audience with the pope, Peres held separate talks with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state , and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, the Vatican's top foreign affairs official, to discuss the Middle East and church-state relations in Israel. The encounters came as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert were preparing to renew negotiations. Meanwhile, diplomats were setting the stage for a U.S.-sponsored international conference on the Middle East in November. The Vatican statement said the prospect of an international conference raised new hopes and created a "particularly favorable context" for progress. "All sides should make every effort to respond to the expectations of the populations, which have been exhausted by a crisis that has lasted 60 years and that continues to spread grief and destruction," the statement said. An eventual Israeli-Palestinian agreement should respect U.N. resolutions and previously concluded agreements, the Vatican said.

Peres renewed Israel's invitation to Pope Benedict to visit Israel and the Holy Land. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesperson, said the pope is open to such a trip, but that the timing would depend on circumstances. Vatican sources say no such visit is being contemplated at present.

On the subject of church-state relations, the Vatican statement expressed the hope for the "rapid conclusion" of current negotiations on the financial and legal status of church institutions in Israel. Vatican and Israeli representatives met in Jerusalem in early September to discuss the issues and are expected to meet again this fall.

Peres, who met the pope at the papal summer villa outside Rome, gave the pontiff an unusual gift: a modern work of art titled "Virtual Prayer for Reconciliation and Peace" by Israeli artist Yaacov Agam. The piece, made of colored and semitransparent material, incorporated the symbols of the three monotheistic religions: the Star of David for Judaism, the cross for Christianity, and the crescent moon for Islam.

Later the same morning, the pope met with the Saudi Arabian foreign minister, Prince Saud Al Faisal, in talks that focused in part on conflict in the Middle East. The Vatican said the 20-minute meeting also touched on moral and religious values, the political and religious situation in Saudi Arabia, and the importance of intercultural and interreligious dialogue.

A day earlier, the pope held talks with Syrian Vice President Farouk al-sharaa. Their discussions covered the Middle East and, in particular, the massive influx of Iraqi refugees in Syria.

HaAretz - by AP

Rome - Pope Benedict XVI and President Shimon Peres discussed peace efforts in the Middle East Thursday, with the Vatican saying the time seemed particularly favorable for Israelis and Palestinians to work and to end decades of conflict. Peres renewed an invitation to Benedict to visit the Holy Land during the meeting at the pontiff's summer retreat at Castel Gandolfo, in the hills south of Rome, a Vatican statement said. Shortly after the meeting, Benedict held talks on the Middle East situation with the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal. It wasn't clear if the timing was a coincidence, but the meetings, which followed one between the pope and the Syrian vice president on Wednesday, came amid a flurry of diplomatic initiatives on the Middle East.

A Vatican statement said the pope ane Peres discussed recent talks between the Israeli and Palestinian leadership. It said the two expressed hope that both sides would take advantage of the current international context that seems particularly favorable, and make any effort to respond to the expectations of the people, worn down by a crisis that has lasted for 60 years.

The Holy See and Israel established diplomatic relations in 1993. However, a long-standing tax dispute has ruffled relations between the two sides, and is seen by Israel as the main obstacle to wider cooperation. The issue was raised in Peres' talks Thursday. The Vatican is seeking ways to lessen its tax burden on its significant land holdings in Israel.

This weekend Peres travels to an international political and finance conference on Lake Como, which annually draws world leaders, including statesmen from Arab countries.

Asia News

Rome - In his first foreign vist as president, Peres was received in audience today by the pope in Castel Gandolfo and also met with Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Msgr. Dominique Mamberti, and Secretary for relations with states and Oded Ben Hur, Israeli ambassador to the Holy See.

According to a Vatican press office statement, discussions focused on the possibilities for peace between Israel and Palestine in "the current international climate, which appears to be particularly favorable." In November in fact, there will be a peace conference in Washington. The Vatican hopes that "each of the parties involved will do all in their power to meet the expectations of the populations, bowed by crises that has lasted for over 60 years now and which continues to sow the seeds of death and destruction."

In order to study "common initiatives in favor of peace," the pontiff also met today with Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Saud Al Faisal. Saudi Arabia and the Arab League have long put forward a peace programme for the Middle East.

On the longstanding question of the implementation of the Fundamental Agreement, 13 years on from its signing, the Holy See statement urges "a rapid conclusion to the important ongoing negotiations and the beginning of a constant dialogue with Israeli Authorities and local Christian communities, in view of their participation in working for the common good."

Peres also invited the pope to come to Israel, possibly for Easter or Christmas. The pope expressed a preference for Easter, and indicated his readiness to put the wheels in motion for an official visit. Peres also invited Napolitano to come to Israel for the country's 60th Independence Day celebrations. At his meeting with D'Alema, who had met less than 24 hours previously with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Jerusalem, Peres said that Iran was the global supplier of ideology, money and arms to nearly all of the world's terrorist organizations. Peres warned D'Alma that Italy could not continue a policy of closing its eyes to the Iranian nuclear arms program. "Time is running out," said Peres, spelling out the potential catastrophe that would occur if terrorist organizations had access to nuclear arms.

Members of the president's entourage were delighted with the overall reception that he received in Italy. Beyond the warm welcome from Italy's Jewish community, he was welcomed with great enthusiasm by the Italian leadership and assured of Italy's political consensus on Israel's right to exist in peace and security, though mention was also made of similar rights for Palestinians.

Peres will participate in an international conference at Lake Como on Friday, together with a number of dignitaries, including representatives from Arab countries.

The Jerusalem Post, September 6, 2007 - Greer Fay Cashman

Pope Benedict XVI has offered to use the full weight of his office to contact Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah in an effort to secure the release of kidnapped IDF soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. The pope made the offer during a meeting Thursday with President Shimon Peres, who is on a state visit to Italy, for his first official trip since taking office.

Peres has notleft the country in recent months, an anomaly for the usually globe-hopping octogenarian. However, judging by the number of invitations that he has received to come on state visits in his present capacity, he will be travelling overseas quite a lot in the year ahead. Beit Hanassi has already asked the government to approve a NIS 1.5 million increase to his travel budget for 2007 alone.

Peres visited with the pope at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo. As he did on Wednesday with President Giorgio Napolitano and Prime Minister Roman Prodi, and again on Thursday morning with Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema, Peres raised the issue of the abducted soldiers and the suffering of their families, who have had no information regarding their situation. Napolitano pledged to do his utmost to secure at least a sign of life from the captives.

Peres's meeting with the Pope lasted almost an hour, which is more time than the pontiff usually gives those who seek an audience with him. In reviewing the overall situation in the Middle East, Peres told the pope that the root of the evil could be found in Iran, which is ruled by a religious extremist leader "who worships an atom bomb more than he worships Allah." While unstinting in his criticism of religious fanaticism, Peres voiced his belief that religion could nonetheless play an important role in the fight against global terror and the advancement of peace. "God never appointed anyone to murder in His name or on His behalf," said Peres. "Anyone who believes in God and His way must believe in the sanctity of life."

In this context, Peres proposed the creation of a united front between Christians, Muslims and Jews, coming together for dialogue in a global forum.

Peres also spoke of the traumatic effect that the ongoing bombardment of Kassam rockets has had on the residents of Sderot. Israel cannot refrain from responding to these terrible attacks on innocent children and schools, said Peres.

Peres also invited the Pope to come to Israel, possibly for Easter or Christmas. The pope expressed a preferene for Easter, and indicated his readiness to put the wheels in motion for an official visit. Peres also invited Napolitano to come to Israel for the country's 60th Independence Day celebrations.

At his meeting with D'Alema, who had met less than 24 hours previously with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Jerusalem, Peres said that Iran was the global supplier of ideology, money and arms to nearly all of the world's terrorist organizations. Peres warned D'Alema that Italy could not continue a policy of closing its eyes to the Iranian nuclear arms program. "Time is running out," said Peres, spelling out the potential catastrophe that would occur if terrorist organizations had access to nuclear arms.

Members of the president's entourage were delighted with the overall reception that he received in Italy. Beyond the warm welcome from Italy's Jewish community, he was welcomed with great enthusiasm by the Italian leadership and assured of Italy's political consensus on Israel's right to exist in peace and security, thoughmention was also made of similar rights for Palestinians.

Peres will participate in an international conference at Lake Como on Friday, together with a number of dignitaries, including representatives from Arab countries.