">Forum Views ()
">Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Pope to visit Bethlehem in occupied West Bank
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
Yahoo! Search
Search:
Sign InNew User? Sign Up
News Home -
Help
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Africa
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
North America
Search
Search:
Pope to visit Bethlehem in occupied West Bank
AFP - Wednesday, May 13
JERUSALEM (AFP) - - Pope Benedict XVI heads to the occupied West Bank on Wednesday to celebrate mass in Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, meet refugees and hold talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.
ADVERTISEMENT
During his day-long visit the pontiff will get a close-up view of the eight-metre-(25-foot-)high wall that surrounds a section of Bethlehem and forms part of the huge West Bank separation barrier Israel says is essential to its security but which Palestinians see as a symbol of an "apartheid" regime.
He will get his first view of the wall as he is driven into the city to celebrate mass in Manger Square just outside the Basilica of the Nativity which Christians believe was built over the spot where the Prince of Peace was born.
The pope, who on Tuesday said he felt the pain of those in the Holy Land who suffered "the bitter experiences of displacement," will also visit the Aida camp outside Bethlehem, where some 4,600 refugees live.
His visit will be "a gesture of solidarity and an occasion for the Holy Father to meet with a category of people that sometimes is suffering more than the rest of the people," according to Papal Nuncio Archbishop Antonio Franco.
Aida residents hope the pontiff's visit will draw the world's attention to their demands to return to the 43 villages they or their parents once called home in what today is Israel, demands rejected by the Jewish state.
The United Nations estimates the number of Palestinian refugees and their descendants at 4.6 million.
The pope will meet Aida residents at a UN-run primary school in the shadow of the separation barrier that snakes its way for hundreds of kilometres (miles), mostly within the West Bank.
The school courtyard is surrounded by a mosque and buildings with filthy walls, one of which features Arabic graffiti that says: "If you sow hatred it will consume you, but if you sow love it will flower among you."
The pope, who appealed for Middle East peace based on a two-state solution on his arrival in Israel on Monday, will meet Abbas at the presidential palace in Bethlehem.
Abbas is expected to ask him to press Israel to ease conditions for Palestinians whose daily life is severely affected by hundreds of military checkpoints and other barriers across the West Bank.
The pope will pray at the underground cave in the Basilica of the Nativity, where a 14-pointed silver star marks the exact spot where Christians believe Jesus was born.
The basilica was built in 565 on the site of a 4th century church. It is administered jointly by the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Armenian Apostolic authorities.
The pontiff will also visit a maternity hospital run by the Catholic aid agency Caritas.
On Tuesday, Benedict became the first pope to enter the Dome of the Rock on Al-Haram Al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary) in Jerusalem, also known as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which is Islam's third holiest place.
The site, which the Jews call Temple Mount, is also the holiest in Judaism and has been a major flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where the latest Palestinian uprising erupted in 2000.
Benedict prayed at the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, a sacred point of pilgrimage for Jews.
He later celebrated mass near the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed the night before his crucifixion, telling thousands of faithful he felt the pain of those who suffer because of conflict and displacement in the Holy Land.
Just hours after he began his five-day visit to Israel and the West Bank on Monday, the pope toured the Yad Vashem memorial to the victims of the Nazi genocide, where he said the Holocaust should never be forgotten.
The German-born pope also spoke out against anti-Semitism, but drew criticism for failing to ask forgiveness for the Holocaust or showing emotion as he delivered his speech at Yad Vashem.
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Sign in to recommend this article »
0 users recommend
Related Articles: World
Karabakh remains powderkeg 15 years after ceasefireAFP - Wednesday, May 13
Pope to visit Bethlehem in occupied West BankAFP - Wednesday, May 13
Accused in murder, Guatemalan leader seeks probeAFP - Wednesday, May 13
Payback begins in British MPs' expenses rowAFP - Wednesday, May 13
NASA downplays shuttle damage, spies Hubble meetAFP - Wednesday, May 13
Enlarge Photo
Map showing Pope Benedict XVI tour of the Holy Land. Pope Benedict XVI heads to the occupied West Bank on Wednesday to celebrate mass in Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, meet refugees and hold talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.
Most Popular – World
Viewed
Australian zoo evacuated after orangutan escape
British store admits it boobed in bra row
Obese young men have less hope of marriage: study
Venezuela oil takeovers may leave 22,000 jobless
$70-80 good price for oil: French economy minister
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
- Community
- Intellectual Property Rights Policy
- Help
Other News on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 U.S. elected to U.N. rights council for first time
| International
|
Italy accuses two of leading role in al Qaeda
| International
|
Russia's Medvedev sees no graft campaign success
| International
|
Microsoft says hackers seek to attack PowerPoint users
| Technology
|
Paperback will survive e-readers: Mondadori
| Technology
|
Galloway denies he approached Google about NY Times
| Technology
|
Bruckheimer Games hires industry veterans
| Technology
|
Facebook, Warner team on Watchmen promo
| Technology
|
Nokia halts investment in media-sharing site
| Technology
|
Miss California keeps her crown, and her opinions
| Entertainment
|
New Swayze biography details battle with cancer
| Entertainment
|
Depeche Mode singer rushed to hospital, in Athens
| Entertainment
|
Facebook, Warner team on Watchmen promo
| Entertainment
|
Titanic stars donate to final survivor
| Entertainment
|
Tate show to explore artist as celebrity and brand
| Entertainment
|
Pope to visit Bethlehem in occupied West Bank
Pope meets Abbas, calls for Palestinian state
| International
|
Suspected US strike in Pakistan kills 10: officials
Taliban attack Afghan town, nine dead: govt
China arrests returned Tiananmen student leader: family
| International
|
Israel army questions soldiers about Gaza looting
NASA downplays shuttle damage, spies Hubble meet
Suicide bomber kills 7 Afghans outside NATO base
| International
|
Oil prices hit six-month high on weak dollar
Iran very close to getting nuclear arms: Israel
US trade gap widens for first time since July
Israel hands over Lebanon cluster bomb maps: U.N.
| International
|
New 'poisoning' hits Afghan schoolgirls: officials
Oil price jumps above $60
U.S. elected to U.N. rights council for first time
| International
|
Pope says Christian presence in Holy Land 'vital'
Australia unveils record $44.1bln budget deficit
India votes in final round as weak coalition looms
| International
|
Church committed to reconciliation with Jews: pope
Climate change endangers coral Triangle: WWF
Google unveils new search features
IBM launches new real-time data analysis software
| Technology
|
Cairo court rules to block porn sites
Google shows new search tools for computer, phone
| Technology
|
France working on support for microchip industry
UK mobile firms could be given spectrum cap
| Technology
|
Former Nazi death camp guard taken to German jail
French parliament adopts tough Internet piracy bill
White House names dates for Mideast leader visits
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty opens new HQ in Prague
Payback begins in British MPs' expenses row
Trump says Miss California USA can retain crown
NY Times unveils 'Times Wire' online news feed
Wis. chemical plant fire chases people from homes
Italy charges two Frenchmen with Al-Qaeda terror plots
BBC names first Muslim head of religious programmes
Man accused in TV anchor death wants new lawyers
China deploys secure computer operating system
Police: Ga. professor shot wife's friend first
Last words aboard Flight 3407
Google unveils new search features
Median home prices fell nationwide in 1Q
Animation film Up may lift gloom as Cannes opens
| Entertainment
|
Michael Jackson eyes $50 million concert payday
| Entertainment
|
Star Trek breaks Imax record as purists grumble
| Entertainment
|
China's growth rests on US, Europe recovery: World Bank
NZ cenbank chides banks on rate cuts
Aussie star Baker signs for Affleck, Alba thriller
US Treasury chief Geithner to visit China June 1-2
Former Hollywood mogul seeks NY Times stake: reports
China's exports sink, but factory investment rises
Hong Kong court told 'feng shui will' not valid
Mazda sinks into the red amid auto slump
Korea National Oil to begin drilling in Kurd region
Cannes shrugs off economic gloom, reels in stars
Montreal launches major public bicycle system
Life stirs in contemporary art market: Sotheby's
Miniweb merges Internet and TV with Blinkx
Lack of blacks on Brazil's catwalks prompts protest
Guimaraes, Maribor are Euro culture capitals for 2012
Mexico hotels offer flu-free guarantee
Russia blocks lesbian marriage
Miss California keeps crown despite racy pix
Aussie star Baker signs for Affleck, Alba thriller
Suicide blast at US base kills 7 Afghans: military
Pakistani army ordered to avoid civilian casualties
| International
|
Sri Lanka fighting intensifies, aid worker killed
| International
|
Coral Triangle could die by century's end: WWF
Accused Nazi guard seen fit to stay in German jail
| International
|
Popular cereal is a drug, US food watchdog says
Russia may face wars over energy: Kremlin
| International
|
Europe wasted 20 years since Cold War: Gorbachev
| International
|
Battles rage in Somalia, world calls for calm
| International
|
Only a third of UK terrorism arrests lead to charges
| International
|
Coral Triangle could die by century's end: WWF
Obama to revive Guantanamo military trials
Joyful Saberi, free from Iran jail, thanks backers
Investors hunt defensive stocks as rally stalls
Intel hit with record $1.45 billion antitrust fine
| Technology
|
Cell phones, TVs undo efficiency gains: study
| Technology
|
INSIDE WASHINGTON: Recommended cuts trigger fight
Hate goes viral on social network sites: report
| Technology
|
US worried Kenya may return to violence
Britain faces 'slow' economic recovery: BoE
Ex-Surgeon General Novello pleads not guilty in NY
Apple sets tech conference date
| Technology
|
Sri Lanka fighting rages despite calls for halt
Pakistan jets bomb Taliban as Zardari calls for aid
Russia, Japan strike energy pacts, vow to end islands row
China confirms second case of swine flu
Voting ends in India's marathon election
China mark quake anniversary with Sudirman Cup mauling
Vietnam has too many boys: state media
Thailand confirms first two swine flu cases
20 dead as US, Afghans battle suicide bombers
China's exports sink, but factory investment rises
Are Bono and Bob Geldof good for Africa?
| Entertainment
|
Weakening of China economy 'just temporary'
Japan: current account surplus suffers record drop
China's industrial output 'up 7.3 pct in April'
China Eastern gets 290 mln dollar govt injection
Taiwan dollar at 2009 intraday high on funds, stocks
Taiwan stocks rebound on new investment regulations
Corporate woes rise as Asia reels from crisis: IMF
Korea Hot Stocks
S.Korea bonds steady after fin min remarks
South Korea to maintain stimulus measures
Cannes critics give nod to 3D animation 'Up'
US songbirds in perfect Barbershop harmony
Turkey leads first batch of Eurovision finalists
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights