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President Shimon Peres og statsminister Benjamin Netanyahu, tok imot Paven da han ankom Ben Gurion internasjonale flyplass klokken 10.00 norsk tid.
I sin velkomsttale mintes Paven ofrene for Holocaust:
"Tragically, the Jewish people have experienced the terrible consequences of ideologies that deny the fundamental dignity of every human person. It is right and fitting that, during my stay in Israel, I will have the opportunity to honor the memory of the six million Jewish victims of the Shoah, and to pray that humanity will never again witness a crime of such magnitude. Sadly, anti-Semitism continues to rear its ugly head in many parts of the world. This is totally unacceptable. Every effort must be made to combat anti-Semitism wherever it is found, and to promote respect and esteem for the members of every people, tribe, language and nation across the globe."
Benedikt XVI tok også til orde for en tostatsløsning på den israelsk-palestinske konflikt, og presiserte viktigheten av en rettferdig løsning for begge parter:
"The hopes of countless men, women and children for a more secure and stable future depend on the outcome of negotiations for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. In union with people of good will everywhere, I plead with all those responsible to explore every possible avenue in the search for a just resolution of the outstanding difficulties, so that both peoples may live in peace in a homeland of their own, within secure and internationally recognized borders. In this regard, I hope and pray that a climate of greater trust can soon be created that will enable the parties to make real progress along the road to peace and stability."
Flere medier siterer i dag nyhetsbyrået AP (Associated Press) på at Kirkens anerkjennelse av tostatsløsningen kan føre til konflikter med det israelske vertskap. Kirkens standpunkt vedrørende en uavhengig palestinsk stat er allikevel gammelt nytt, og har flere ganger blitt bekreftet av kirkelige representanter, blant annet ved Pavestolens permanente observatør ved FN i New York, erkebiskop Celestino Migliore.
Til de kristne i Det hellige land uttalte Den hellige far:
"To the Christian communities in the Holy Land, I say: by your faithful witness to him who preached forgiveness and reconciliation, by your commitment to uphold the sacredness of every human life, you can make a particular contribution to ending the hostilities that for so long have afflicted this land. I pray that your continuing presence in Israel and the Palestinian Territories will bear much fruit in promoting peace and mutual respect among all the peoples who live in the lands of the Bible. Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, once again I thank you for your welcome and I assure you of my sentiments of good will. May God give his people strength! May God bless his people with peace!"
KI - Katolsk Informasjonstjeneste (Oslo) (11. mai 2009)