As Pope Benedict XVI arrives in the West Bank, the Israeli army issues demolition orders to Palestinian families in Jerusalem. These stories and more coming up stay tuned.
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Thousands of Palestinian Christians and Muslims gathered at the Church of the Nativity Square in Bethlehem to welcome his Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on his first visit to Palestine. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and a number of Palestinian Authority officials were present in Bethlehem to welcome the Pope.
During the Mass the Pontiff started his sermon with a special welcome to the Gaza residents who had been able to come to Bethlehem and offered condolences for those killed in January’s Israeli offensive on the coastal strip. He also said he hoped the siege on Gaza would soon end. Only 48 Palestinian Christians from Gaza were granted permits by Israel to come to Bethlehem. More than 200 others were denied permission.
In his last stop for the day at Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem, Pope Benedict XVI described the separation wall between Israel and the West Bank a symbol of "stalemate".

For his part, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, reitorated his calls for peace with Israel:

“Before you Holiness, i turn to our Israeli neighbors with a message of peace, and I call upon them to stop their occupation, settlement activity, detaining and humiliating us, their security comes through peace. Their acceptance in the region happens though peace, with peace development and coexistence may prevail among the nations of their region.”
As the Pope visited Bethlehem on Wednesday, the Israeli authorities issued more orders to demolish Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem.
The orders target 31 apartments providing shelter to more than 300 Palestinians. The office of Hatim Abdul-Qader, Jerusalem Affairs advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas, stated that the Jerusalem municipality decided on Tuesday night to demolish nine more homes in a Palestinian neighbourhood near the Al Aqsa Mosque.
Conclusion

Thank you for joining us from occupied Bethlehem. You have been listening to Palestine Today from the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org. This report has been brought to you by Lisa Smith and Ghassan Bannoura.