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Pope criticised as ‘detached’ at Jews’ memorial
Ed Harris12 May 2009
The Pope today ran into further controversy on his Holy Land pilgrimage as he was accused of showing detachment from Jewish suffering in the Holocaust.
German-born Pope Benedict was attacked by the speaker of Israel's parliament, Reuven Rivlin, over his address yesterday at Israel's memorial to the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust, in Jerusalem.
Referring to the Pope's teenage membership in the Hitler Youth, when enrolment was compulsory, and his German military service, Mr Rivlin told Israel Radio today: “He came and told us as if he were a historian, someone looking in from the sidelines, about things that should not have happened.
“We cannot ignore the burden he bears, as a young German who joined Hitler's army, which was an instrument in the extermination.”
The Pope was also accused by one Israeli newspaper columnist of appearing “restrained, almost cold”.
The latest setback to hit Benedict came as he prayed this morning at Jerusalem's Western Wall and visited Islam's Dome of the Rock, at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Dome covers the site where Christians, Jews and Muslims believe Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son to God, before an angel stopped him. King Solomon built Jewish temples before the Romans destroyed the Second Temple in AD 70. In the 7th century, Islamic conquerors built the first Dome, where Muslims believe Mohammad ascended to heaven.
However, Israeli Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger appeared to come to the Pope's defence, saying the pontiff subscribed to the prayer Pope John Paul II placed in the Western Wall nine years ago in which he asked for God's forgiveness for suffering caused to Jews.
In the prayer, which he slotted into a stone crevice of the Roman-era Jewish Temple, Pope Benedict mentioned “the suffering and pain of all your people throughout the world” and called for peace in the Middle East.
“In a world sadly torn by divisions, this sacred place challenges men and women to work to overcome conflicts of the past and set out ... at building a world of justice and peace,” he added during a meeting with Islamic cleric, Mohammed Hussein.
Reader views (2)
Membership of the Hitler Youth was obligatory when he was a member - even Hans Scholl, one of the founding members of the White Rose (anti-Nazi German resistance) was a member. As for what the Pope said at Yad Vashem - it seemed moving, reverent, and appropriate to me. It's hard not to think that some of these attacks are a result of Benedict making clear his support for the two-state solution at the outset of the visit.
- Francis, London, UK, 12/05/2009 16:36
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Yes, aptly described as the World's biggest outdoor lunatic aslyum: that's what the so-called "great" religions have produced.
- Alan, London, 12/05/2009 10:48
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