Prior to the Pope's arrival; Israel Foreign Ministry refuses to grant the Last Supper room to the Vatican

Israel’s Foreign Ministry has strongly denied media reports claims the Israeli government had agreed to hand the Vatican control of the Cenacle, the room where Christians believe Jesus held the Last Supper in Jerusalem.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman Office said in a letter addressed to the Jewish Information Centre, which manages the King David’s Tomb; where the Last Supper room believed to be located that “Israel does not intend to hand over the Last Supper room in the King David Tomb in Jerusalem during the Vatican Pope Francis visit next week”.

The Israeli Radio published the ministry’s letter on its website, Reshet Bet which said “The rumours concerning the handing over the Last Supper Room are baseless. This is an attempt to stir things up and cause tension during the Pope’s visit. Israel does not have any intention of handing over or giving any rights over the Last Supper Room to the Vatican; not during the Pope’s visit and nor after it”.

“Israel maintains its traditional stand according to which the Last Supper Room and every part of the Mount Zion will not be transferred to the Vatican’s ownership or to its possessions in any way possible. Israel has no intention of offering any gift during the visit or sign any agreement with the Vatican” the letter concluded.

Israel’s Maariv newspaper said in a report published recently that “Israel was trying to conceal an agreement with the Vatican” revealed by the Vatican’s official newspaper. The paper pointed out that the Vatican Insider described the agreement as final and signed.

The Israeli paper quoted the Vatican Insider reporter, Andrea Tornielli, that the agreement includes two clauses, the first “to exempt churches and holy places and places of worship and cemeteries of taxes” and the second “to hand over the Last Supper room to the Franciscan Patriarchate’s management” .