Land of Israel activists Baruch Marzel and Itamar Ben-Gvir plan to file a criminal complaint on Monday at the Jerusalem Magistrates Court, in which Pope Benedict XVI’s name appears atop the list of defendants. The criminal complaint details a record of treasures and possessions that belong to the Jewish People that are allegedly being held in the Vatican in Rome. Some were taken at the time of the Roman occupation; others centuries later.
The Pope and others are accused of possessing stolen goods, receiving items considered stolen and receiving goods that were obtained through criminal means. The list of witnesses appearing on the complaint include Israel’s Chief Rabbis, Rabbi Yonah Metzger and Rabbi Shlomo Amar, along with Rabbi Yisrael Ariel of the Temple Institute. Ben-Gvir and Marzel intend to take legal action to delay the Pope’s departure from Israel until they receive a decision on their complaint.
At least one archaeological researcher claims that the Temple Treasures are not being held by the Vatican. Dr. Sean Kingsley, author of God's Gold: The Quest for the Lost Temple Treasure of Jerusalem, has stated that the looted treasures are somewhere in the Holy Land. “One thing is for sure – it is not imprisoned deep in Vatican City,” Dr. Kingsley told the British Sunday Times in 2006.