Israel Beg Christians To Protest Holocau$t(tm) Denial
Group urged to protest h0Ɩ0cαųst denials (yahoos title)
By ALESSANDRA RIZZO, Associated Press Writer Wed Dec 13, 1:39 PM ET
ROME -
Israel's prime minister asked Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday to urge Christians to protest h0Ɩ0cαųst denials, Israeli government officials said.
During their meeting at the Vatican, Benedict told Prime Minister Ehud Olmert he would consider the request, which followed an Iranian conference questioning the nαzι genocide against the Jєωs.
Benedict met with Olmert alone for 35 minutes, longer than the 10 minutes expected, and praised Israel's restraint in Gaza, Israeli spokesman Jacob Galanti said. In response to an invitation from Olmert, Benedict said he wants to visit Israel "when things calm down," the Israeli officials said.
The Vatican said they discussed Middle East peace issues and questions regarding the Catholic community in Israel, including the upcoming Christmas celebrations. The brief statement did not elaborate.
Israel and the Vatican established diplomatic relations in the 1990s, and the late Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimage to Israel in 2000. In a dramatic visit to Jerusalem's Western Wall, John Paul left a copy of his declaration asking God's forgiveness for sins against the Jєωs.
John Paul also hosted Israeli prime ministers and other officials as part of his effort to build ties with the Jєωιѕн state.
Olmert's request that the pope denounce h0Ɩ0cαųst denials in his next homily came one day after the Vatican issued a statement calling on people to remember the nαzι campaign of extermination.
"The Shoah was a great tragedy before which we cannot remain indifferent," the Vatican statement said. "The memory of those horrible events must remain as a warning for people's consciences."
Benedict, who is German, visited the Auschwitz death camp during a trip to Poland in May and asked God why he remained silent during the "unprecedented mass crimes" of the h0Ɩ0cαųst.
After Olmert met with the pope, he held discussions with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi.
At a joint news conference, Prodi urged Israel and the Palestinians to exchange prisoners and called for direct talks between Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
"I hope and will apply pressure so that that this meeting can happen soon," Prodi said. "Direct talks are extremely important."
The Italian also said that Israel needed to remain a Jєωιѕн state, prompting thanks from Olmert, who said "these words have a very special meaning for me."
The Israelis regarded this as a sign Italy rejects Palestinian demands for a "right of return" for Arabs who fled when Israel was created and their descendants.
"Every peace process must go through a renunciation of violence, recognition of the state of Israel, recognition of past agreements and, I must add, also the recognition of Israel as a Jєωιѕн state," Prodi said.
Italy and Israel have cordial relations. Prodi recently praised a Nov. 27 speech by Olmert in which the Israeli premier appealed to the Palestinians to re-enter peace negotiations.
But the two nations also have disagreements.
Italy believes that Syria and Iran should be involved in any negotiations if the Middle East is to be stabilized. Olmert opposes the idea.
"I certainly think there are perspectives in Italian policy that don't mesh with ours," Olmert told Israeli reporters on Tuesday. "But there is a good basis for dialogue."
Prodi has been active in Middle East diplomatic efforts since he took the helm of a center-left government in May. He contributed 2,500 Italian troops to the U.N. peacekeeping force monitoring the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah militias after the war this summer in southern Lebanon.
The Italians are scheduled to take over command of the force from France in February.
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