The Pope’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories was marred by both sides of the ideological spectrum. After speaking at Israel’s holocaust museum Yad VaShem, many Israelis, including the speaker of the Knesset, lambasted the Pope for failing to show remorse over the six million Jews that were killed. Instead, the critics claim that the Pope spoke like a ‘historian.’ Many Israelis also condemn the Pope for his past affiliation with the Nazi youth, a characteristic of his past that continuously draws criticisms from Israelis and Jews. Similarly, the Pope’s presence at an interfaith dialogue was tarnished by an Islamic cleric who used the pulpit to lambaste Israel, in particular the recent Gaza offensive. While the Pope stayed until the end of the speech, he quickly left thereafter. The event’s organizers condemned the unapproved speech as the exact dialogue they intend to alienate.
