THE POLITICAL POPE

First comes the news that:

“Pope Benedict XVI will become the second pontiff in history to enter a synagogue when he visits his native Germany next month.

In a sign of his determination to mend fences with Judaism and other world religions, the Pope has announced that he will visit the Jewish place of worship in Cologne, which was destroyed by the Nazis but rebuilt after the Second World War.

Then comes the implication that Jewish blood is still different:

Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday deplored attacks in “countries including Egypt, Turkey, Iraq and Britain”.

Israel said he had failed to mention a 12 July suicide bombing in Netanya that killed five Israelis.

The foreign ministry said it would be interpreted as “granting legitimacy to… terrorist attacks against Jews”.

posted by Judith.