At Israel's request, Vatican bars Arab mayor from papal audience

April 23, 2009

A controversial Israeli mayor has been dropped from the list of Arab political leaders invited to attend an audience with Pope Benedict XVI during the Pontiff's May trip to the Holy Land. The Israeli government's tourism minister, whose department is coordinating plans for the papal visit, had protested the inclusion of Mayor Mazen Ghanaim of Sakhnin, an Arabic city in the north of Israel, charging that Ghanaim is a "terror supporter." The Arab official had praised Palestinian "martyrs" and charged that Israeli troops committed war crimes during a public protest of Israel's offensive against Hamas.

 

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Further information:

• Arab mayor's invite to papal audience withdrawn after Israeli protest (CNS)
• Israel Tourism Minister Asks Vatican To Cancel Pope's Meeting With Arab Mayor (Philadelphia Bulletin)