HAARETZ Editorial: Pope Benedict XVI, who arrives in Jerusalem today, joins two of his predecessors who visited Israel in the past - Paul VI in 1964 and John Paul II in 2000. A visit by the head of the Catholic Church to Israel always generates interest because of Jews' dark history of persecution in Christian Europe and the unequivocal link between Christianity and Judaism. The pope's visit bears great importance for the strengthening of Israel's international standing and for improving ties between Jews and Christians.
The Vatican's stance on Jerusalem differs from that of the Israeli government, and this requires complex and sensitive arrangements in planning the pontiff's visit to the holy city. Yet the visit will highlight Israel's commitment to freedom of worship at the Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and the Galilee.
Benedict has been a controversial figure since assuming the papacy in 2005. As a German who was a member of the Hitler Youth and a soldier in the Wehrmacht, which he deserted before the Nazi regime fell, his actions and policies regarding Jews and the Holocaust have been subject to tight scrutiny. He touched off a torrent of criticism after he announced he would declare sainthood for Pius XII, who is accused of remaining silent in the knowledge that Jews were being slaughtered during World War II. >>> Haaretz Editorial | Monday, May 11, 2009
