Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., May 07, 2009 Iyyar 13, 5769 | | Israel Time: 16:24 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Focus U.S.A. Travel Week's End Anglo File TLV 100
Last update - 20:30 22/04/2009
Pope accepts keffiyah as gift from Palestinian worshippers
By Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: israel news, pope benedict 

Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday met in the Vatican on Wednesday with a group of Palestinian Catholics, who presented him with traditional Palestinian scarf as a gift.

The 27 faithful from a Bethlehem parish were among thousands attending the pope's weekly Wednesday audience in St. Peter's Square.

At the end of the service, two youths from the group were brought to the pope and draped the checkered black-and-white scarf on his shoulders. Benedict chatted briefly with them while wearing the scarf, which an aide later removed.
Advertisement
Bethlehem is one of the stops on the May 8-15 Holy Land pilgrimage that will take Benedict to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories. In Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, he will celebrate Mass and visit a Palestinian refugee camp.

Meanwhile Israeli Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov declared on Wednesday that he would urge the pope to avoid meeting with Sakhnin Mayor Mazen Ghnaim during his visit, due to Ghnaim's "support for terror."

Misezhnikov, of the rightist Yisrael Beiteinu party, said he would raise the issue during a Wednesday meeting with Vatican representatives in Israel.

"If the information about the meeting is correct, it stands in absolute contradiction to the purpose of the Pope's trip, which is to advance peace and dialogue between peoples and religions," Misezhnikov said.

"We're talking about a supporter of terror who instigates war and has acted against the interests of the state in which he serves as a mayor. I call on the Pope to avoid meeting with Ghnaim."

During the visit, Vatican and Israeli officials hope to ease the tensions that have erupted in recent months between the Catholic Church, Israel and the world Jewish community over the process to canonize Pope Pius XII.

Pius, who reigned from 1939 until his death in 1958, has been accused by some Jews of turning a blind eye to the Holocaust, a charge his supporters and the Vatican deny.
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
'Unfair Gaza probe'
Peres tells Ban that Israel will never accept UN's conclusions on its Gaza war conduct.
Arab fears on Iran
U.S. allies in the Gulf are worried over Obama's diplomatic overtures to Tehran.
  1.   And the Poynesian worshippers have placed a palm-leaf skirt 20:46  |  Absolute Sweden 22/04/09
  2.   nonsense 21:01  |  potobac 22/04/09
  3.   Vatican History 21:25  |  Christopher 22/04/09
  4.   This Pope is not welcome 22:17  |  Daniel 22/04/09
  5.   re: this pope is not welcome 23:36  |  Hannah C 22/04/09
  6.   The Pope 23:57  |  The Teacher/Instruct 22/04/09
  7.   Christopher, thank you 00:07  |  Anonymous 23/04/09
  8.   #2 00:28  |  Jane 23/04/09
  9.   Daniel - Visiting the Holy Land 00:32  |  Mark of Lewiston 23/04/09
  10.   Diplomacy 00:45  |  Joseph 23/04/09
  11.   keffiye symbols 00:48  |  alex 23/04/09
  12.   #2 nonsense 00:52  |  ron 23/04/09
  13.   keffiyah gift 01:28  |  robert 23/04/09
  14.   #5..Hannah C re:#4 Daniel 04:21  |  Malone 23/04/09
  15.   what`s the bid deal? 04:27  |  bashar 23/04/09
  16.   Keffiye ignorance to Alex and all 10:44  |  Sam Soul 23/04/09
  17.   As Hamas wants to extend rule over Rome the Holy Father 12:44  |  PETER SM 23/04/09
  18.   #1: Are you really that naive? 02:05  |  Susan 24/04/09
  19.   Misezhnikov, of the rightist Yisrael Beiteinu party, said 16:20  |  3isa 07/05/09
 Haaretz Hot Topics
Durban II conference
Air strike in Sudan
Israel 2009 election results: Voter breakdown
Israel vs. Hamas
Iran: Nuclear and regional ambitions
More Headlines
14:21 Syria: No need to amend Arab peace initiative
14:14 IDF soldier killed during West Bank raid
13:46 Egypt official 'reminds' Israel of its war crimes against Arabs
15:20 IDF bans Palestinians from hosting pope next to West Bank fence
15:57 Poll: European Muslims more patriotic than average in population
16:18 Does an Israeli start-up hold the key to stopping swine flu?
14:16 Star Trek's J.J. Abrams: A 'lucky schmuck' with Spielberg as mentor
21:58 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
14:13 Abbas to form new government without Hamas deputies
10:19 Gaza militants fire mortar, anti-tank missile at IDF troops
11:10 Petah Tikva man accused of raping woman while posing as rabbi
11:45 German paper: Berlin pressures firms to limit Iran trade
14:36 Nine Bedouin 'terror suspects' have charges reduced
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Spring Specials-Dan Hotels
Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$
The Meier on Rothschild Tower
Masterpiece Residence in the Heart of Tel Aviv
Dead Sea Skin Care
Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
Camp Kimama Israel 2009
The best place for your children this summer
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
Jewish Singles Personal Ads
Find the love of your life on JDate.com
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results
Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved