Pope Benedict XVI was a member of the Hitler Youth. It makes no difference whether it was by choice or not. He was a member, period. His retraction of his anti-Islamic remarks quoted from the texts of a Pope many years ago, indicated that he was and is prepared to kowtow to Islamic pressure. His claim of not knowing that Bishop Richard Williams was a Holocaust Denier is total nonsense. He has more advisers that most of the Governments in Europe and every Papal decision is weighed very carefully before it even gets to the Pope! So, do we Israelis really want a visit by this Pope who seems to be a Man for all Seasons? Maybe as a Private Visit of a cleric but not as a guest of the State. Bibi, no doubt, will have to make the final decision on the Papal Visit.

Say no to the visit.The Vatican must open the Vat.Archives on the nazi connection to pope pius the 12th FIRST !

The visit of the leading religious figure in the world is a great honour to any country and bestows considerable legitimacy on Israel. Despite understandable calls for his holliness to cancel his visit after the Gaza aggression, he decided to go ahead with it despite that and despite the anti-christian epidemic in Israel, in order to advance the cause of peace. We consider our lord Jesus Christ as the saviour of all mankind including the jews, his people. The pope, as christ's representative on earth, has to propagate that message to all and should be welcomed everywhere especially as Israel needs the christian world to survive.

You think Israel can depend on Ireland! Remember when Éamon de Valera was asked to help in the rescue of the Vichy Jewish children in WW11? Remember his response that the Irish would not allow Jewish children in their country? Remember how he eventually capitulated under pressure by accepting a limited number of children on the condition it was kept secret that they were Jewish from the Irish people?

The Catholic Church is one of the best allies that Israel has in the world today, it's sad that it goes so unrecognized.

"Pope" is an invented title which has no significance outside the roman church. Benedict is the head of the largest single church inside christianity, bishop of Rome and the Patriarch of the West. As the latter, he is one of the five Patriarchs leading the worldwide all-christian ekklesia, who are the bishops of Rome (Benedict), Constantinople (Bartholemew), Alexandria (Shenouda), Antioch (Ignatius Zakka) and Jerusalem (Theophilos). The latter should be his host in Jerusalem, as Benedict doesn't come to visit his colonies, but to the city of his equally-ranking colleague in the pentarchy.

Don't do anything that would cause police to bar you from the area. But when the pope goes by, turn your back on him.

It is their city and not the pope's! The fact that we are welcoming him shows how low we will stoop to curry favor from an enemy of the Jewish people.The pope should not be welcomed here and should be shunned for the two thousand years of persecution that we suffered at the hands of his church.

ti is not a great honour for a state to host this pope. With his thinking and this background, it will be better he stays at home. Israel is a holy land for the jews and so it is better no ex hitler youth member enter erez israel. he has bloody hands. shalom

The environment and condition of Jerusalem is disgusting. It is a filthy,gridlocked provincial backwater that surely needs a face lift, regardeless whether the Pope visits. It is an overated and expensive destination for tourists.Instead of trying to make money with the popes visit firstly clean up the city for its long suffering residents.

I started a post and then lost it somehow. Anyways It might be nicer for Pope's visit, if all the beggars that have been relocated are treated to special dinners (and food to take home) and movies during the Pope's visit. I'm sure that relocation is done in many countries, however the idea of having poor people relocated for a Pope, is in some ways kind of controversial.

Whether you people want the pope to come or not is not really important. the important thing is that israel is in the middle of a recession and this visit will bring millions of dollars to all jerusalem residents, from graphic designers for the advertising of this vist to the hotels to the street cleaners and even the beggars on the street will receive money from pilgrims that feel holy and want to give to the poor. So stop your stupid whining and see the bigger picture for once. Plus this will look positive for israel especially after Gaza.

Benedict’s XVI Holy Land pilgrimage could become a church peace mission Pope Benedict XVI definitely is a world political and religious figure. His expected visit to Holy Land / Israel has to be seen on the background of the recent worldwide discussion / criticism to receive back into the Roman Catholic Church the Pius Brotherhood which included i.a. the notorious Bishop Williamson.- This decision was apparently based upon his personal conservative views / goal to have a smaller but fully consolidated Church, for going “…modernization…” This explanation of the Pope’s act was made more than once public by various Church / Vatican members but the issue remained alive and all verbal expressions even by the Pope himself did not silence this case.- It will be more than difficult to overlook this unfinished / open case, therefore the question arises of timing and reason plus expectation for this visit remain. Could these be put completely aside, without a written Papal excathedres, which would re-confirm Second Vatican Council 1962-65 and Nostra Aetate – such a step would atleast outwardly conclude this upheaval.

We have diplomatic relations with the Vatican , don't forget it . If we would not receive visitors with some background , with whom we disagree , with some past we dislike , there would not be many heads of state left who would not be welcome here . Did'nt we receive German delegations ? their ancestors were'nt so nice , the least we can say , towards us some 65 years ago . And if this visit can bring some financial gains for Unified Yeroushalaim , some clean up , it's all beneficial .