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Vatican Scrambles to Steady Pope’s Visit to Holy Land
Benedict stresses 'common threads' while visiting Jerusalem's holiest sites
While Pope Benedict XVI visited Jerusalem's holiest sites on Tuesday, touring areas sacred to Muslims, Jews and Christians while stressing the common threads of the three faiths, Vatican officials were scrambling to smooth over Israeli criticism of his performance at Yad Vashem on Monday.Â
Former Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, Yad Vashem director Avner Shalev, and Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin were all present at the Hall of Remembrance for the pope's visit last evening and each expressed disappointment afterwards that his remarks there did not contain any expression of personal remorse as a German and former Hitler Youth.