Editing Foreign relations of Israel (section)

=== Holy See ===
{{Main|Holy See–Israel relations}}

Before the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the [[Holy See|Vatican]] opposed Zionist policies and objectives in Palestine. In 1947, during discussions at the United Nations about the [[United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine]], the Vatican supported the [[internationalization of Jerusalem]], in order to keep the [[holy places]] away from either Israeli or Arab sovereignty. In October 1948, as the [[1948 Arab–Israeli War]] was in progress, [[Pope Pius XII]], deeply disturbed by that violent conflict, issued the [[encyclical]] ''[[In multiplicibus curis]]'', in which he called on the peace-makers to give Jerusalem and its outskirts "an international character" and to assure&nbsp;– "with international guarantees"&nbsp;– freedom of access and worship at the holy places scattered throughout Palestine. In April 1949, he issued the encyclical ''[[Redemptoris nostri cruciatus]]'', in which he appealed for justice for the [[Palestinian refugee]]s and repeated his call for an "international status" as the best form of protection for the holy places.

In January 1964, Pope [[Paul VI]] visited Israel, the first such Papal visit.

Following the [[Six-Day War]], the Vatican modified its position on the holy places. In an address to the [[College of Cardinals]] in December 1967, [[Pope Paul VI]] called for a "''special statute'', internationally guaranteed" for Jerusalem and the Holy Places, thus changing the previous demand for the internationalization of Jerusalem.

Diplomatic relations between the Israeli government and the Vatican were established in 1994, following the conclusion of the [[Fundamental Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Israel]], signed on 30 December 1993. The Holy See (the Vatican), which has UN observer status, is the only non-UN member state with which Israel has diplomatic relations and the only non-UN member state recognised by Israel. An important organ in these relations is the Israel-Vatican Bilateral Commission, established under article 10 of the Agreement to resolve economic issues between the parties.

In 2000, [[Pope John Paul II]] visited Israel, followed by visits of [[Pope Benedict XVI]] (2009) and [[Pope Francis]] (2014). The bilateral commission convened on 30 April 2009 and 10 December 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/About+the+Ministry/MFA+Spokesman/2009/Press+releases/Israel-Vatican-Bilateral-Commission-meets-in-Jerusalem-30-Apr-2009.htm |title=Meeting of the Israel-Vatican Bilateral Commission held in Jerusalem 30-Apr-2009 |publisher=Mfa.gov.il}}</ref>