Vatican and Israeli authorities are still working on plans for a visit by Pope Benedict XVI to the Holy Land, a representative from the Israeli tourism ministry said Thursday.
''We are working on the visit of the pope in the Holy Land, which we hope will happen,'' said Naga-Sher Greco, in Rome to attend a spiritual tourism fair currently under way in the capital.
''In Israel contact has intensified between the Vatican and Israeli authorities, including the one I represent,'' he added.
But the Israeli ambassador to the Holy See, Moredechai Lewy, stressed that the pontiff's visit ''has still not been officially announced'' by the Vatican.
''It would be better to talk about the matter only when there has been an official announcement,'' he added.
The Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Fouad Twal, announced in December that the pope would visit in May following leaks from both Israeli and Vatican sources.
Earlier this month Lewy said Benedict would be ''welcome'' if he decides to go ahead with the visit, which was being planned before Israel began its military offensive in Gaza.
