Monday, May 11, 2009

Pope on sensitive visit to Israel


Pope Benedict XVI has arrived in Israel on the second and most sensitive leg of his Middle East tour.
He was greeted by Israeli leaders at an airport near Tel Aviv before flying to Jerusalem by helicopter.
During the next five days the pontiff will visit sacred sites linked with the life of Jesus and hold talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
The Pope angered many in Israel by readmitting to the Church a bishop who had denied the extent of the Holocaust.
And some Israelis are also unhappy over the Pope's support for the beatification of Pope Pius XII - the pontiff during World War II who they believe did not do enough to save persecuted Jews.
'Two homelands'
Addressing the Pope at Ben Gurion airport, President Shimon Peres said he hoped the pontiff's visit would help "pave the road to peace".

I will have the opportunity to honour the memory of the six million Jewish victims of the Shoah
Pope Benedict
In his arrival speech, the Pope immediately addressed the issue of Palestinian statehood.
"I plead with all those responsible to explore every possible avenue in the search for a just resolution of the outstanding difficulties," he said.
"So that both people may live in peace in a homeland of their own within secure and internationally recognised borders."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was in the greeting party but did not make a speech, has so far not said if he would support a two-state solution.
The BBC's David Willey, travelling with the Pope, says the Catholic Church and the Israeli government do not see eye-to-eye on Palestinian statehood.
He says the issue will be the main focus of talks between the Pope and the Israeli government over the next few days.
Heightened security
The Pope said Israel and the Vatican had many shared values, including the desire to put religion in its rightful place in society.
He also said he would pray for the six million victims of the Holocaust and promised to fight anti-Semitism around the world.
"Sadly anti-Semitism continues to rear its ugly head in many parts of the world. This is totally unacceptable."
Apart from celebrating Mass in Jerusalem and Nazareth, Pope Benedict will also visit some hugely sensitive sites - the Holocaust museum Yad Vashem on Monday and, later in the week the most sacred places in Jerusalem for Jews and Muslims.
He will also visit a Palestinian refugee camp close to Bethlehem.
Israel is beefing up security for the trip in an operation named "White Robe", with tens of thousands of law-enforcement officers deployed and entire sections of Jerusalem to be shut down.
During the previous leg of his tour - a three-day stay in Jordan - the Pope stressed the importance of Christians and Muslims working together.
Analysts say his words are likely to be heavily scrutinised during this week's trip.

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