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| JOURNEY TO THE HOLY LAND | |
 March 23, 2000 
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RAY SUAREZ: Of all of the historic stops on Pope John Paul II's trip
this week, his visit today to the Holocaust POPE JOHN PAUL II: We wish to remember for a purpose, namely to ensure that never again will evil prevail as it did for the millions of victims of Nazism. How could man have such utter contempt for man? |
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| Praise for the Pope's words | ||||||||||||||||||||
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RAY SUAREZ: The Pope's visit, which was carried live on Israeli television, had been widely watched as the latest attempt on his long crusade to heal the rift between Jews and Christians. And his words today were praised by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and many Holocaust survivors.
RAY SUAREZ: But others said the Pope did not go far enough in accounting for Pope Pius XII's silence during World War II.
RAY SUAREZ: Today's stop at Yad Vashem and Jerusalem was the latest
on a six-day trip that includes stops in Jordan and the Palestinian
territories. The Vatican has insisted this week's events are primarily
a religious pilgrimage devoted to following in Jesus' footsteps during
what's being observed as the 2,000th anniversary of his birth. But the
trip has been caught up in the vortex of Middle East politics, making
it one of the most sensitive of |
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| A call for a Palestinian homeland | ||||||||||||||||||||
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POPE JOHN PAUL II: The Holy See has always recognized that the Palestinian people have the natural right to a homeland and the right to be able to live in peace and tranquility with the other peoples of this area. Your tolerance is before the rest of the world. RAY SUAREZ: And Chairman Arafat was pleased with the Pope's statements.
RAY SUAREZ: The Pontiff has particularly looked forward to this millennial visit first planned more than five years ago. Just 2% of the population in the Holy Land are Christians, but more than 60,000 pilgrims flew in from around the world to see him and attend the Masses. POPE JOHN PAUL II: This year, of the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, it has been my strong personal desire to come here and to pray in the most important places, which from ancient times have seen God's intervention, the wonders He has done. RAY SUAREZ: The turnout on the streets has been enormous for his Masses,
like this one in Bethlehem's |
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memorial
known as Yad Vashem had been one of the most widely anticipated. And
it was also one of the most personal for the 79-year-old pontiff. At
a solemn ceremony, the Pope spoke eloquently of the Church's sorrow
for the victims of the Holocaust. But he stopped short of apologizing
for the Church's silence at the time. 
ELI
ZBROWSKI, Holocaust Survivor: What the Pope did, this Pope, is a turning
point in history, and we appreciate that. And I'm sure that the majority
of the Jewish people in Israel and throughout the world appreciate that,
and are thankful to the Pope. 
MEIR
LAU, Chief Rabbi, Israel: This apology was quite fine. But for educational
reasons I was expecting condemnation of the silence of the world, especially
of the Church, and especially Pius XII, who had to say more and to do
more in order to save innocent lives who were victims of the Holocaust.
If he would say a word, I don't believe there would be six million Jewish
victims. 
his
papacy. During a stop yesterday at a Palestinian refugee camp on the
West Bank, the Pope said he was concerned about the plight of the more
than three million Palestinians. With Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat
in attendance, he also called again for a Palestinian homeland. 
YASSER
ARAFAT (Translated): The Palestinian people value highly your principled
position in support of their causes and their rightful presence in their
homeland as a sovereign and independent people. 
Manger
Square, the site of Jesus' birth. John Paul's trip has also taken him
to numerous sites of significant religious importance for Christians,
Muslims and Jews. Yesterday he conducted a special Mass for clergy after
visiting a grotto at Mount Zion, believed to be the site of Jesus' Last
Supper. Today, he saw the old city of Jerusalem. The Pope will wrap
up his visit with a visit to Nazareth and the Western Wall.