'We must not forget Holocaust' says Pope

SEEKING to mend relations with Israel that were strained over his decision to lift the excommunication of a Holocaust-denying bishop, Pope Benedict XVI said on the first day of a Holy Land pilgrimage yesterday that the suffering of the genocide's victims "must never be denied, belittled or forgotten".

After laying a wreath on a black stone monument above the ashes of Holocaust victims at the memorial site of the Yad Vashem institute in Jerusalem, the German-born pontiff said: "As we stand here in silence, their cry still echoes in our hearts. It is a cry raised against every act of injustice and violence. It is a perpetual reproach against the spilling of innocent blood."

While the previous Pope, John Paul II, who came on a Holy Land pilgrimage in 2000, was popular in Israel, Benedict is viewed with a degree of suspicion because of his own background and several actions that have struck Jewish sensitivities.

Born Joseph Ratzinger in Bavaria in 1927, Pope Benedict was a member of the Hitler Youth when enrolment was compulsory. Biographers say he was never a Nazi party member or supporter of Hitler.

Many Israelis and Jews were outraged early this year when the Pope lifted the excommunication of a Holocaust-denying British bishop, Richard Williamson. In a conciliatory message later, he told Jewish leaders that "any denial or minimisation of this terrible crime is intolerable".

The Vatican has also been at odds with Israel for planning to beatify wartime pope Pius XII, whom Israeli historians stress did not protest against the Holocaust. A plaque in the museum at Yad Vashem – which the Pope did not visit – says Pius maintained a "neutral position" towards the murder of Jews.

Benedict has referred to Pius as a great churchman and in September he praised what he called Pius's "courageous and paternal dedication" in trying to save Jews by quiet diplomacy.

"May the names of the victims never perish, may their suffering never be denied, belittled or forgotten," he said. "May all people of goodwill remain vigilant in rooting out from the hearts of men anything that could lead to tragedies such as this."

He added: "The Catholic church is committed to praying and working tirelessly so that hatred will never reign in men's hearts again."

The Pope's remarks yesterday did not go far enough for some Israelis. "There is not one word here of participating in the sorrow, not one word of compassion, not one word of pain on the awful tragedy of the six million victims. Even the word six was missing," said Yisrael Meir Lau, the former chief rabbi of Israel.

The Pope made a moving speech, he said, but "something was missing. There was no mention of the Germans or the Nazis who participated in the butchery, nor a word of regret."

Arriving at Ben-Gurion airport, the Pope urged Israelis and Palestinians to resolve their differences and spoke out against antisemitism, saying: "Sadly antisemitism continues to rear its ugly head in many parts of the world. This is totally unacceptable. Every effort must be made to combat antisemitism wherever it is found."

Some liberal Israelis took issue with the Pope's views on contraception, abortion and homosexuality and criticised the lavish welcome the government is according him.

"His message is not one of compassion, understanding or tolerance but rather obtuseness, stubbornness and religious extremism," said Nitzan Horowitz of the left-wing Meretz party. "The Vatican under his leadership is a dark fortress. In his view, the Church cannot adapt itself to the spirit of the times or cave in to "individualism" – the believers must obey and suffer. And suffer they do."