The June 15, 1994, announcement of the diplomatic agreement between the Holy See and the State of Israel marked symbolically the end of 2,000 years of a difficult relationship and the beginning of a new, nearly prophetic enterprise for both communities. This is, indeed, a unique moment of history. This new publication, A Challenge Long Delayed; The Diplomatic Exchange Between the Holy See and the State of Israel, is a homage to this agreement, as well as a contribution to its knowledge among both faith communities and people of goodwill. The Anti Defamation League wants to contribute to this knowledge by making known the theological and political details entailed in the present agreement. The different authors point out the attachment of the people of Israel to the Holy Land promised by God to Abraham and his successors; the will of the State of Israel to the 'light to the nations' and contribute to the welfare of the region; the history of the negotiations between Israel and the Holy See to which ADL contributed much in Jerusalem and Rome, and finally the very text of the agreement followed by the text of L'Osservatore Romano about the exchange of letters between Pope John Paul II and Ambassador Shmuel Hadas, the first Ambassador of Israel to the Holy See.