Day 4 - Farewell to Jordan; Arrival in Israel; visit with the President and Yad Vashem Memorial

On the Schedule Today (Monday May 11, 2009)

This post will be updated with news and commentary on the day's events

• 07.30 - Private Mass in the chapel of the Apostolic Nunciature in Amman
• 10.00 - Farewell ceremony at the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman
• 10.30 - Departure from the Queen Alia International Airport of Amman (Jordan) for Ben Gurion International Airport of Tel Aviv (Israel)
• 11.00 - Welcoming ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport of Tel Aviv
• 16.15 - Courtesy visit to the President of the State of Israel at the presidential palace in Jerusalem
• 17.45 - Visit to Yad Vashem Memorial in Jerusalem
• 18.45 - Meeting with organizations involved in interreligious dialogue at the Auditorium of Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem

Spoken Words by Pope Benedict XVI

• Farewell ceremony at Queen Alia International Airport of Amman (May 11, 2009)
• Welcoming ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport of Tel Aviv (May 11, 2009)
• Courtesy visit to the President of the State of Israel at the presidential palace in Jerusalem (May 11, 2009)
• Visit to Yad Vashem Memorial in Jerusalem (May 11, 2009)
• Meeting with organizations involved in interreligious dialogue at the Auditorium of Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem (May 11, 2009)

Responses

• Welcome remarks by Pres Peres to Pope Benedict XVI at Ben-Gurion Airport

Coverage & Commentary

General

• Pope Concludes Jordan Visit, by Mohammad Ghazal. (Jordan Times)
• 3 Public Papal Masses Bringing Eager Expectation: Common Hope Is Peace for Troubled Homeland May 11, 2009.
• What to Expect from the Pope's Visit, by Irene Lagan (InsideCatholic.com)
• Dialogue Pioneer Expects Headway From Papal Trip: Says Pilgrimage Is Historic Chance to Strengthen Bonds Zenit News interviews Baruch Tenembaum, founder of the Raoul Wallenberg Foundation.
• On His Tour, Pope Runs Into Politics of Middle East and Holocaust, by Rachel Donadio. New York Times
• Speak softly and carry a big staff by Julian Rake (Reuters' FaithWorld)

Arrival at Ben Gurion

• Pope speaks of Shoah, peace and two states for two peoples on arrival in Israel, by Franco Pisano. (Asia News) Benedict XVI has immediately faced the hot issues of this visit. From anti-Semitism which “continues to rear its ugly head in many parts of the world” to the request for a “just solution” to the conflict, and that all pilgrims to the Holy Sites have free access without restrictions.
• Pope condemns anti-Semitism, prays for interreligious harmony, by Cindy Wooden. (Catholic News Service)
• Pope in Israel calls for Palestinian homeland, by Victor L. Simpson. (Associated Press)
• Pope and Peres talk of peace, tolerance, hope and prayer, by Greer Fay Cashman

Meeting with Shimon Peres

• Peres Greets Pope in Official Residence, by Hillel Fendel (Israel National News)
• Pope pledges to do 'utmost' to gain Schalit's release, by Greer Fay Cashman (Jerusalem Post)

Interfaith Service

• Pope faces first crisis of historic visit, by Tobias Buck (Financial Times)
• Sheikh attacks Israel, pope walks out, by Matthew Wagner (Jerusalem Post)
• Muslim cleric slams Israel to pope, raising anger (Reuters)
• Foreign Ministry enraged by incident which cut pope's east J'lem visit short (YNet News)
• Israeli reaction to comments by Tamimi at Papal interfaith meeting Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial

• Visiting Holocaust memorial, pope says hatred must never reign again, by John Thavis and Judith Sudilovsky. (Catholic News Service)
• Pope, in Israel, confronts dark history of Germany, by Steven Gutkin (Associated Press)
• Catholic, 82, who rescued Jews from Nazis excited to meet pope, by Judith Sudilovsky (Catholic News Service)
• American who met pope was only Holocaust survivor from his family, by Judith Sudilovsky (Catholic News Service)
• A German Pope at the Holocaust Memorial: Message Takes on Greater Significance, Suggests Aide Zenit News interview with Father Caesar Atuire, the delegate administrator of Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi.
• At Yad Vashem, what pope doesn't say makes waves - Pope's speech at a key Holocaust site draws mixed reviews, by John Allen Jr. (National Catholic Reporter)
• Rav Lau disappointed over pope's Yad Vashem speech, by Etgar Lefkovits (Jerusalem Post)

Audio

• Tracey McClure speaks to Israel's Ambassador to the Holy See ahead of the Pope's arrival in the Holy Land about how the Jewish community is anticipating the Pope's pastoral visit and asks have past tensions been surmounted? (Vatican Radio)
• Tracey McClure asks the PLO's Ambassador to the Holy See Chawki Armali if relations with the local Christian community might change under a new Palestinian leadership and what are prospects for peace. (Vatican Radio)