Israel to Vatican: We won't return room of Last Supper

Roni Sofer
12.09.09
Israel News

Is the decade-long disagreement between Israel and the Vatican about to be resolved? A delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon will leave Wednesday for the Vatican in a bid to reach an agreement about the Catholic Church's demands that it be granted ownership of a number of Christian holy sites, including the room in which the Last Supper is believed to have taken place.

Discussions on the issue will start Thursday. The Israeli delegation includes experts from the Justice Ministry and the Finance Ministry, as well as other figures. The discussions will revolve around the Vatican's demand that it be granted propriety of various Christian sites, tax breaks, and the expropriation of Church properties in Israel.

Israel has already made it clear that it will remain firm in its stance to maintain ownership of the room in which the Last Supper is believed to be held, which is on Mount Zion next to King David's tomb. the rest