Following Day with Palestinians, Pope Francis Sees Israel and its Leaders

Following a day in which Pope Francis thrilled crowds of Palestinians and invoked politically-charged references to Palestinian themes, the Pontiff is spending Monday touring sites in Israel and meeting with its leaders. The day began with an early morning visit to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall, where the Pope prayed and greeted selected guests who were allowed into the area. On Sunday, Francis delighted throngs of Palestinians by stopping to pray at the controversial security barrier erected by Israel and which has become symbolic of the Palestinian desire to be free of Israeli control. Infuriating Israelis, the Pope made reference to the relationship between the Holy See and the “state of Palestine,” arguably a sharp departure from the pre-visit statement asserting that the papal visit would be “religious, not political.” The Pope’s itinerary in Israel includes laying a wreath at the grave of Theodore Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism; a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and Documentation Center; and meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other officials. On Sunday, the offices of Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas accepted the Pope’s invitation to come to the Vatican and pray together.