Comments on the Camp David Summit 

July 23, 2000

John Paul II offered these remarks at Castel Gandolfo after leading the praying of the Angelus: 

For several days, at Camp David in the United States of America, negotiations have been under way to reach an agreement that could contribute to the definitive establishment of peace in the Middle East.

For my part, I wish to accompany these certainly difficult negotiations with my prayer and encouragement, inviting those responsible to continue their efforts and hoping that they will always be motivated by the sincere desire to respect law and justice for all and to achieve a just and lasting peace.

At the same time, I would like to invite the parties involved not to overlook the importance of the spiritual dimension of the city of Jerusalem, with its Holy Places and the communities of the three monotheistic religions surrounding them. The Holy See continues to maintain that only a special, internationally guaranteed statute can effectively preserve the most sacred parts of the Holy City and ensure freedom of belief and worship for all believers who, in the region and throughout the world, see Jerusalem as the crossroads of peace and coexistence.