meet with abu mazen??? He best be served by the the Host Country Israel and meeting S.Peres and Bibi, that makes sense, not meeting with a Terrorist Who Hates The Saturday and Sunday People???

As a member of a terrorists people, he should fight for his peoples rights when the arab muslims come to murder more Christians. Bet the cat got his tongue. KEEP BUILDING !!!!

The pope and his henchmen don't belong in Israel. Especially seeing what vile company they keep. KEEP BUILDING !!

Why is that?

no matter what jewish apologists say. the church of rome is still one of the main jewhating forces and shows it every time. They did not and will not change. just like the plo's charter where israel and jews is concerned - both call for our destruction and put their actions where their words are.

question is, do they even want to come?

"It is a religious visit and in no way a political one." What the visit is or not, depends on how your education defines social identities. Israel is a jewish state, population practices judaism religion, and our national language is hebrew nor latin or arabic.... As you probably know, scholars and religious teachings influence groups persceptions. The Pope Francisco doesnt practice judaism niether islam, , so is irrelevant if his visit to AP territories is supported by small groups of christians followers. practice judaism and our religion plays a fundamental

Remember Bishop Hillarion Cappucci the Lebanese Bishop of the ancient Melkite Catholic Church who for years used his limo to cross into Israel with tons of weapons which were used to butcher Jewish civilians arrested imprisoned and released after Vatican pressure only to resume his hate mission. He was caught with a luggage compartment full of bombs by a young Israeli solider who didn't listen to orders honoring diplomatic immunity for VIP Clergy visitors from inspection !

"It is a religious visit and in no way a political one." What the visit is or not, depends on how your education defines social identities. Israel is a jewish state, population practices judaism religion, and our national language is hebrew nor latin or arabic.... As you probably know, scholars and religious teachings influence groups perceptions. . The Pope Francisco doesnt practice judaism neither islam, so is irrelevant if his visit to AP territories is supported by small groups of christians followers..

hypocrisy and political double standards by the church, for instance the Hague court is investigating the Vatican crimes ,clerics abuses & scandals. is that new? No. Read some history of rome caesars & clerics (before the Vatican was created with the letran agreements) they used religion as a mechanism to control their state & citizens. Have a nice day...

I was not aware of this man Cappuci. After reading the report of his smuggling I say treat him with respect but check out his luggage and vehicle(s)

As a Christian Lebanese I feel that we have lotsa things in common with the Israeli Jews than with Arabs. To start with Jesus was Jewish and our values are quite the same.

Many Israelis fail to see this visit from the bigger picture, and I am not judging, given their lack of knowledge of the political situation in Lebanon post 1990. But here are few clarifications: 1- Patriarch may or may not be interested in meeting with M Abas, nevertheless, he is in a way forced to do so to give the visit a less Israeli flavour. Even with meeting M Abas, he is being criticized heavily by the Muslim side in Lebanon. Bear in mind that Muslims in Lebanon now are more than 50% and have Hizbullah heavily armed and trained. Maronites (along with other Christian communities), live under modern Dhimmitude... Full societal, cultural and political sovereignity can not be expressed and are therefore bound to operate within margins set by Saudi, Syria, Turkey and Iran. 2- The visit itself, is already a brave act of breaching these set margins, and should be seen positively by Israel, even if he won't meet any Israeli. You cannot expect the guy to sit with Netanyahu and risk being assasinated upon his arrival in Beirut, and who knows, maybe further Muslim sabotages in Christian areas.. the guy is walking on a thin rope, hoping (perhaps) to rise up from post-1990 dhimmitude gradually... 3- Some readers compared him to some priest who smuggled weapons. Ok, again, lack of knowledge. This guy is not a Melkite (Greek), he is Maronite (Syriac Aramaic). Maronite community, historically, was either on friendly terms with Jews or at worst, indifference. If any verbal hostility was shown post 1990, it was due to fear from Muslim revenge (by revenge, I do not mean, cancellation of having poker fidays, but terrorist revenge)