I wouldn't be one bit surprised if Nir Barkat is right, and there are secret channels. After all, that is exactly what Israel has been doing all these years: SEE BELOW. And Remember the SECRET LETTER WRITTEN BY OLMERT to the Pope in 2006!

21:56 , 02.13.08

Print Core Issues Barkat. 'Amazed' Photo: Gil Yohanan click here to enlarge text click here to reduce text				Barkat: Secret agreement to divide Jerusalem reached Jerusalem municipal opposition leader accuses Prime Minister Olmert, Vice Premier Ramon of 'deceiving Israeli citizens'. Ramon aide: This is nonsense Roni Sofer Israeli and Palestinian representatives have reached an agreement to divide Jerusalem, the capital's municipal opposition leader Nir Barkat said Wednesday.   "(Vice Premier) Haim Ramon and the prime minister are deceiving Israel's citizens," Barkat added after exchanging letters with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on the negotiations with the Palestinians.   Olmert: 'Peace talks will tackle Jerusalem later' / Reuters Prime minister says less sensitive subjects will be discussed first, but notes that talks with Palestinians to deal with 'all issues' Full story Barkat based his accusations on information from "senior sources" which he refused to reveal, claiming that Ramon and Palestinian tycoon Muhammad Rashid had agreed in secret talks on Jerusalem's division.   "Livni refuses to reveal the fundamental information she has, according to which there is a secret channel which is not being led by the Foreign Ministry. Knowing this makes her an accomplice in this political deceit, which is really aimed at dividing Jerusalem behind Israeli citizens' backs," said Barkat.   In his letter to Livni, Barkat wrote, "I was amazed to learn that a senior and official Palestinian source was quoted as saying that 'we can say that Israel is ready to pullout of all the Arab villages and neighborhoods in Jerusalem.'"   He went on to demand that "the secret agreements" be revealed or that denied.   "I would like to remind you that if this is true, it constitutes a complete deviation from Kadima's basic principles, a blatant violation of Basic Law: Jerusalem, a breach of the voter's trust and an undermining of the Knesset's sovereignty," he wrote.   'Groundless conspiracy theory' The foreign minister replied in a letter, "In Annapolis (peace conference) it was decided that Israel and the Palestinians would hold negotiations in which all the core issues would be discussed, with no exception," confirming that negotiations are being held on the Jerusalem issue, contrary to Prime Minister Ehud Olmer's remarks in Berlin that the Jerusalem issue would be postponed to the end of the process.   Livni noted in her letter that "the negotiations are being conducted according to an agreement between the parties, which states that until everything is agreed upon there will be no agreement, and that the contents will not be made public."   An official at Ramon's office said in response, "This is nonsense. These remarks are unfounded and nothing of this kind took place."   Diplomatic sources in Jerusalem said in response to Barkat's claims, "This is a groundless conspiracy theory. The prime minister and the Palestinian president meet face to face and do not need anyone's mediation.   "The negotiations are being held in a responsible manner by the prime minister opposite the Palestinian Authority. There is no need for a secret channel, and therefore all attempts to invent secret chancels are doomed to fail."   Barkat's remarks joined voices from the coalition by members of the Shas faction, who threatened to quit the government once negotiations on Jerusalem are launched.   Last week, Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai called on the government to cease the negotiations with the Palestinians following the terror attack in Dimona.   Holy See-Israel Commission meet again by Arieh Cohen The short press release says talks between the parties were conducted in "great cordiality." another meeting has been set for 17 March. Negotiations have been going on for 15 years. Tel Aviv (AsiaNews) – A meeting took place on Tuesday, 4 February, of the Bilateral Permanent Working Commission between the Holy See and the State of Israel. The delegations met at the Israeli Ministry for Foreign Affairs. It was their first meeting since the Commission had met in plenary session last 13 December. The brief joint communiqué confirmed that the two sides have continued their negotiations on the fiscal and property questions pending between Israel and the Catholic Church, and described the atmosphere at the talks as one of "great cordiality." The negotiators will meet again on 17 March. At the previous meeting on 13 December, the two delegations had "expressed their determination to accelerate their work in order to achieve  further advances in the coming months and to conclude the Agreement as soon as possible." However the negotiations have continued for almost 15 years. Their purpose is to work out a "comprehensive agreement" on all tax and property matters, which would give the Church in Israel legal and fiscal security. In practical terms, the Catholic Church wishes to see re-confirmed the historic tax exemptions that she already possessed at the time that Israel came into being, in 1948. Likewise the Church in Israel hopes for the return of some confiscated ecclesiastical properties, for example the church-shrine in Caesarea, which was confiscated in the 1950's and later razed to the ground. In particular too, the agreement is important for the security of Catholic sacred places owned by the Church, to ensure that any legal disputes concerning them should be decided by the courts, according to the law (i.e. "due process"), and never, as is possible today, by politicians, in purely discretionary fashion. Back