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Pope on sensitive visit to Israel Pope decries 'ugly' anti-Semitism
(about 4 hours later)
Pope Benedict XVI has arrived in Israel on the second and most sensitive leg of his Middle East tour. Pope Benedict has begun a visit to the Holy Land by saying anti-Semitism is totally unacceptable and must be countered wherever it is found.
He was greeted by Israeli leaders at an airport near Tel Aviv before flying to Jerusalem by helicopter. He honoured publicly the memory of the six million Jews killed by the Nazis with a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem.
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. In his arrival speech, the pontiff also voiced support for the right of the Palestinians to their own homeland.
The Pope angered many in Israel by readmitting to the Church a bishop who had denied the extent of the Holocaust. He is due to visit Christian holy places during his five-day pilgrimage.
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. The Pope's immediate, forceful and unequivocal condemnation of anti-Semitism in any form and in any part of the world will have pleased his Israeli hosts, the BBC's David Willey reports from Jerusalem.
'Two homelands' But some Israelis have been hoping that the Pope will apologise yet again for his recent reconciliation with a Catholic cleric who is a known Holocaust-denier, our correspondent says.
Addressing the Pope at Ben Gurion airport, President Shimon Peres said he hoped the pontiff's visit would help "pave the road to peace". 'Just resolution'
I will have the opportunity to honour the memory of the six million Jewish victims of the Shoah Pope Benedict Flying in from Jordan, where he visited a mosque at the weekend, Benedict was greeted by Israeli leaders at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv before being flown to Jerusalem by helicopter.
In his arrival speech, the Pope immediately addressed the issue of Palestinian statehood. 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 class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/8040419.stm">Itinerary: Israel and West Bank class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/8025602.stm">Pope in the Mid East: The issues class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/4445279.stm">Profile: Pope Benedict XVI class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=6422&edition=1">Send us your comments
"Sadly, anti-Semitism continues to rear its ugly head in many parts of the world," he said as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres sat nearby.
"This is totally unacceptable. Every effort must be made to combat anti-Semitism wherever it is found."
The eyes of the world, the Pope added, were upon the peoples of the Middle East as they struggled to solve conflicts that had caused so much suffering.
"I plead with all those responsible to explore every possible avenue in the search for a just resolution of the outstanding difficulties," he said."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.""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. President Peres said he hoped the pontiff's visit would help "pave the road to peace".
Mr Netanyahu has now flown to Egypt, where the idea of a two-state solution will be high on the agenda in talks with President Hosni Mubarak. Prime Minister Netanyahu has now flown to Egypt, where the idea of a two-state solution will be high on the agenda in talks with President Hosni Mubarak.
The BBC's David Willey, travelling with the Pope, says the Catholic Church and the current Israeli government do not see eye-to-eye on Palestinian statehood. Israel's new prime minister did not make a speech at Ben Gurion and has so far not said if he will support a two-state solution.
Our correspondent, who is travelling with the Pope, says the Catholic Church and the current 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.He says the issue will be the main focus of talks between the Pope and the Israeli government over the next few days.
Heightened securityHeightened security
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. Apart from celebrating Mass in Jerusalem and Nazareth, Pope Benedict will also visit the most sacred places in Jerusalem for Jews and Muslims.
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 Itinerary: Israel and West Bank Pope in the Mid East: The issues Profile: Pope Benedict XVI Send us your comments
"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."
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.