In a meeting with the Vatican`s Apostolic Nuncio to Israel, Archbishop Antonio Franco, Israeli Tourism Minister Isaac Herzog proposed Israel as the venue for the next World Bishops Conference, an annual gathering of more than one thousand Catholic bishops from around the world. The conference is traditionally held in Rome. Herzog said that holding the event in Israel would further strengthen relations between Israel and Christian leaders. The two also discussed preparations for the anticipated visit of Pope Benedict XVI in 2007.

Archbishop Franco requested that Minister Herzog act to advance an administrative-economic agreement between Israel and provide assistance to clergy in the country.

In his capacity as State Secretary in 2000, Minister Herzog planned the visit of Pontiff John Paul II to the Holy Land, meeting the former pope on several occasions. The minister`s grandfather and uncle also played key roles in fostering Israeli-Catholic relations.

In 2005, approximately 800,000 Christian tourists and pilgrims visited Israel, representing 40 per cent of the total number of foreign visitors to the country. Nearly half were Catholics mainly from Italy, Spain, Poland and Portugal. These figures rose two-fold over 2004.