The Pope's Mideast Visit Begins

The much awaited eight- day visit by Pope Benedict XVI started today. He, thank G-d, started his visit by acknowledging the millions killed in the Holocaust. This is in light of recent and on-going denials from extremist groups that leave me wanting to shake them senseless. The Pope also endorsed, like President Obama, a two-state solution to the Palestinian conflict. Listening to Obama this wouldn't actually be two states with a boundary. It is more complicated than that but I did want to say that if people were envisioning the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island that is not what they have in mind but it means borders more or less at least that is my understanding.

Not surprising the Pope talked about the difficulties Israel and the Palestinians are having and have had for what seems like forever. He is expected to visit Jerusalem's Muslim grand mufti and two chief rabbis. He is expected also to honor the memory of my 6 million ancestors who died in the Holocaust. The Pope speaking for the Catholic Church is rejecting anti Semitism. He visited Jordan and went to a mass where he hoped that women would garner more respect. He asked that his people (and all people) set good examples by opposing terrorism. The Pope hopes for more discussion among Christians of all sects and those of us from other religions and heritages.

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Pope Benedict is supposed to be going to Bethlehem and Nazareth, which are the holiest of places for Catholics.

The Pope I think, like President Obama, is walking into a minefield of problems. He has the Israeli - Palestinian conflict (conflict underscored and understated); the relationship Jews have with Catholics; and the relationship of Catholics and Muslims. Why would anyone want this job?

On top of all this some Muslims do not want the Pope to visit. A banner was put up by followers of Nazem Abu Salim, a radical Muslim preacher, right next to the Church of the Annunciation, where tradition says the Angel Gabriel told Mary she would give birth to Jesus.

The Pope will have to be very careful when he visits Nazareth because in 2006 the Pope quoted a medieval text that illustrated the prophet at violent. Some Muslims are still angry over that and I wouldn't want any Muslims angry at me if I were walking thourgh Nazareth.

It is there for the Pope, Abu Salim said. "He is not welcome here." The banner which can be seen from the church the Pope is to visit also has a piece from the Quran which says Those who harm God and His Messenger _ God has cursed them in this world and in the hereafter, and has prepared for them a humiliating punishment." Source

Sources

CNN
The Huffinton Post