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| Pope Benedict starts Israel visit | Pope Benedict starts Israel visit |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| Pope Benedict XVI has arrived in Israel on the second and most sensitive leg of his Middle East tour. | Pope Benedict XVI has arrived in Israel on the second and most sensitive leg of his Middle East tour. |
| He was greeted at an airport near Tel Aviv by senior officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. | He was greeted at an airport near Tel Aviv by senior officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. |
| 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. | 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. | The Pope angered many in Israel by readmitting to the Church a bishop who had denied the extent of the Holocaust. |
| Holocaust speech | Holocaust speech |
| The BBC's Tim Franks, in Jerusalem, says there are also continuing tensions between the Church and Israel over the role of the Vatican in World War II. | The BBC's Tim Franks, in Jerusalem, says there are also continuing tensions between the Church and Israel over the role of the Vatican in World War II. |
| POPE IN THE MIDDLE EAST Monday Arrives in Israel, meets President Shimon PeresTuesday Visits Western Wall, meets Chief RabbisWednesday Visits Bethlehem, visits refugees, meets Mahmoud AbbasThursday Mass in Nazareth, talks with Benjamin Netanyahu, meets FranciscansFriday Meets Orthodox Christian leaders, departs In pictures: Pope visits Jordan Pope in the Mid East: The issues Profile: Pope Benedict XVI Send us your comments | POPE IN THE MIDDLE EAST Monday Arrives in Israel, meets President Shimon PeresTuesday Visits Western Wall, meets Chief RabbisWednesday Visits Bethlehem, visits refugees, meets Mahmoud AbbasThursday Mass in Nazareth, talks with Benjamin Netanyahu, meets FranciscansFriday Meets Orthodox Christian leaders, departs In pictures: Pope visits Jordan Pope in the Mid East: The issues Profile: Pope Benedict XVI Send us your comments |
| The Pope supports the beatification of Pope Pius XII - who was pontiff during the war, and is criticised by many in Israel who believe he did not do enough to help persecuted Jews. | The Pope supports the beatification of Pope Pius XII - who was pontiff during the war, and is criticised by many in Israel who believe he did not do enough to help persecuted Jews. |
| And our correspondent says Pope Benedict also arrives with heavy historical baggage - such as his own personal journey, from teenage membership of the Hitler Youth to the Vatican. | |
| Addressing the Pope at Ben Gurion airport, President Shimon Peres said he hoped the pontiff's visit would help "pave the road to peace". | Addressing the Pope at Ben Gurion airport, President Shimon Peres said he hoped the pontiff's visit would help "pave the road to peace". |
| The Pope said Israel and the Vatican had many shared values, including the desire to put religion in its rightful place in society. | 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. | He also said he would pray for the six million victims of the Holocaust and promised to fight anti-Semitism around the world. |
| "I will have the opportunity to honour the memory of the six million Jewish victims of the Shoah," he said. | "I will have the opportunity to honour the memory of the six million Jewish victims of the Shoah," he said. |
| "Sadly anti-Semitism continues to rear its ugly head in many parts of the world. This is totally unacceptable." | "Sadly anti-Semitism continues to rear its ugly head in many parts of the world. This is totally unacceptable." |
| Heightened security | Heightened security |
| 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | Analysts say his words are likely to be heavily scrutinised during this week's trip. |