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Last update - 17:19 17/05/2009
Upon return from Holy Land, pope repeats call for Mideast peace
By The Associated Press
Tags: Pope Israel, Israel news 

Pope Benedict XVI urged Christians, Jews and Muslims in the Holy Land to work together for peace and justice, as he reflected on his recent visit to the region during his traditional Sunday blessing in St. Peter's Square.

The Pope spoke of how the Holy Land, once a symbol of God's love for his people, has become a symbol of divisions and unending conflicts, but expressed hope that it would become a microcosm of love and peace once more.

Speaking at a ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport on Friday, as his tour of Israel came to an end, the pope said that "the appalling chapter of history must never be forgotten or denied, those dark memories should strengthen our determination to draw closer to one another as branches of the same olive tree, nourished from the same roots and united in brotherly love."
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President Shimon Peres thanked the pope for his visit to the Holy Land, and applauded his remarks at Yad Vashem, which he said represented a welcome attack on Holocaust denial around the world.

In the ceremony, also attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the pope reiterated his support for the Palestinian cause, saying that the "Palestinian people have a right to a sovereign state."

On the subject of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the pope said that during his visit to the holy land he had "witnessed the great efforts that both governments are making to securing their people's well being."

Related articles:
  • Pope: West Bank fence is a symbol of 'stalemate'
  • Pope in Israel / Pontiff will leave behind many disappointed souls
  • INTERACTIVE GUIDE / Pope Benedict XVI in the Holy Land


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