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Pope visits Jerusalem holy sites Pope visits Jerusalem holy sites
(about 9 hours later)
Pope Benedict XVI is visiting sites in Jerusalem holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians on the second day of his visit to the Holy Land. Pope Benedict XVI has been visiting sites in Jerusalem holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians on the second day of his visit to the Holy Land.
He visited the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, becoming the first pontiff to see the site, and then the Western Wall, one of Judaism's holiest places.He visited the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, becoming the first pontiff to see the site, and then the Western Wall, one of Judaism's holiest places.
Later, he will pray where Christ is said to have eaten his last meal before crucifixion. He said Mass in the Josaphat Valley and is later to pray at the reputed site of Christ's Last Supper.
He will also meet both Israeli and Palestinian leaders during the tour. A row has broken out over the German-born Pope's time in the Hitler Youth.
A Vatican spokesman appeared to contradict the pope's own admission that he was once a member.
There has also been criticism from Israeli politicians and commentators about the Pope's comments on the Holocaust.
The Pope is meeting both Israeli and Palestinian leaders during his tour.
Israel has beefed 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 shut down.
Sacred places
The Pope began the day's visits at the Dome of the Rock, located on the Temple Mount - a site sacred to all three monotheistic religions.The Pope began the day's visits at the Dome of the Rock, located on the Temple Mount - a site sacred to all three monotheistic religions.
Katya Adler, BBC News, Jerusalem The Mass in the picturesque and historically charged Josaphat Valley is not well attended.
The 5,000 tickets for the Mass were sold out. Olive trees were temporarily removed to make room for the anticipated crowds of enthusiastic pilgrims. Yet few have actually turned up.
The adoration that followed Pope Benedict's predecessor during his visit to the Holy Land nine years ago seem to be conspicuously absent.
The Middle East is also a sadder and darker place.
John Paul came here in March of the millennium year - before the 11 September attacks, before the US-led invasion of Iraq, before the second Palestinian uprising and Israel's tougher controls on Palestinians.
Ahead of Pope Benedict's visit few Christians said they believed he could or would improve their lives much. Their absence here today, if for that reason, speaks volumes.
He removed his shoes according to Islamic custom when entering a holy site, and met the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Mohammed Mohammad Hussein.He removed his shoes according to Islamic custom when entering a holy site, and met the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Mohammed Mohammad Hussein.
"Here the path of the world's three great monotheistic religions meet, reminding us what they share in common," said the Pope. "Here the paths of the world's three great monotheistic religions meet, reminding us what they share in common," said the Pope.
POPE IN THE MIDDLE EAST Monday Arrives in Israel, meets President Shimon PeresTuesday Visits the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall. Celebrates Holy Mass in Josaphat ValleyWednesday 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 Press operations compete Pope in the Mid East: The issues
"This sacred place serves as a stimulus, and also challenges men and women of goodwill to work to overcome misunderstandings and conflicts of the past and set out on the path of a sincere dialogue."
The mufti called on the Pope to end Israeli "aggression" against Palestinians.The mufti called on the Pope to end Israeli "aggression" against Palestinians.
"We look forward for your holiness's effective role in putting an end to the ongoing aggression against our people, our land, and our holy sites in Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank," the AFP news agency quoted him as saying.
There was no live television coverage of the visit because of a dispute between Israeli and Palestinian broadcast companies, said the BBC's David Willey, who is travelling with the Pope.There was no live television coverage of the visit because of a dispute between Israeli and Palestinian broadcast companies, said the BBC's David Willey, who is travelling with the Pope.
The Pope then moved to the nearby Western, so-called Wailing, Wall where he met Israel's chief rabbis. Pope Benedict then moved to the nearby Western, so-called Wailing, Wall where he met Israel's chief rabbis.
The wall is part of the retaining wall of the Temple Mount, dating back to a time when a Jewish temple stood there.The wall is part of the retaining wall of the Temple Mount, dating back to a time when a Jewish temple stood there.
He said the visit gave him the opportunity to reiterate the Catholic Church's commitment to "a genuine and lasting reconciliation between Christians and Jews".He said the visit gave him the opportunity to reiterate the Catholic Church's commitment to "a genuine and lasting reconciliation between Christians and Jews".
The Pope placed a written prayer into a gap in the wall, before standing in silence with his head bowed.The Pope placed a written prayer into a gap in the wall, before standing in silence with his head bowed.
His prayer asked the "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" to send "peace upon this Holy Land, upon the Middle East, upon the entire human family".His prayer asked the "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" to send "peace upon this Holy Land, upon the Middle East, upon the entire human family".
At the Mass in Josaphat Valley, he said the departure of many Christians in recent years was a "tragic reality".
"In the Holy Land there is room for everyone," he said to applause.
"I urge the authorities to respect, to support and to value the Christian presence here."
The pontiff will later visit the site reputed to be where Jesus took his Last Supper before his crucifixion and resurrection.The pontiff will later visit the site reputed to be where Jesus took his Last Supper before his crucifixion and resurrection.
Operation 'White Robe' Hitler Youth controversy
Shimon Peres said the Pope was 'a promoter of peace' Media coverage of the trip and debate in Israel have pointed up the fact that the German-born Pope was, like other German children, enrolled in the Hitler Youth during World War II.
Tuesday is the second day of the pontiff's five-day visit to Israel and the West Bank. POPE IN THE MIDDLE EAST Monday Arrives in Israel, meets President Shimon PeresTuesday Visits the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall. Celebrates Holy Mass in Josaphat ValleyWednesday 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="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/middle_east/03/holy_sites/html/default.stm">Guide: Jerusalem's holy sites class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/8025602.stm">Pope in the Mid East: The issues class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/8045373.stm">In pictures: Pope in Jerusalem
He was met in Jerusalem by Israel's President Shimon Peres, who described him as "a promoter of peace, a great spiritual leader". The Speaker of Israel's parliament, Reuven Rivlin, described Pope Benedict as a "German who joined the Hitler Youth and... a person who joined Hitler's army".
The pontiff began his trip by saying in Tel Aviv that anti-Semitism was totally unacceptable. He also voiced support for the Palestinians' right to a homeland. Vatican spokesman Rev Federico Lombardi said on Tuesday: "The Pope was never in the Hitler Youth, never, never, never."
He is scheduled to meet Palestinian leaders later in the week and visit a refugee camp near Bethlehem. His remark appeared to contradict the Pope's own words in his 1997 memoirs, Salt of the Earth.
The Dome of the Rock sits on the plateau known to Jews as the Temple Mount, and to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary). "As a seminarian, I was registered in the HY [Hitler Youth]," he said then. "As soon as I was out of the seminary, I never went back."
Islamic tradition says that the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven from the spot marked by the mosque at the Dome of the Rock, whose gilded cupola dominates Jerusalem. The Rev Lombardi sought to make a distinction between the anti-aircraft auxiliary corps the Pope was enrolled in towards the end of the war and the Hitler Youth, which he described as a "corps of volunteers, fanatically, ideologically for the Nazis".
According to Jewish tradition, the rock that is the centre of the Dome of the Rock is the site where Abraham bound his son Isaac for sacrifice.
The Temple Mount is also sacred to Jews because it marks the location of the original temple of Solomon.
It is also sacred to Christians because it was here that Jesus Christ is said to have argued with the high priests.
Guide: Jerusalem's holy sites
Our correspondent says the Pope has been treading very carefully in the 28 speeches he is making during his visit to ensure his words do not cause controversy.
On Monday, he paid tribute to Holocaust victims at the Yad Vashem memorial.
"May the names of these victims never perish. May their suffering never be denied, belittled or forgotten," he said in the midst of survivors.
But our correspondent says there has been some adverse reaction to the speech in the press, with analysts saying the first German pope in more than 1,000 years should have used more personal words of compassion.
The chairman of the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Directorate, Avner Shalev, said he was disappointed that the Pope did not more strongly condemn the Nazis.
Israel has beefed 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 shut down.