Israelis Highly Pleased with Pope’s Reaction to His Visit to Israel

Israelis were highly pleased to learn today that Pope Paul VI, who returned today to Rome from his visit to Israel and Jordan, publicly declared that the day he spent yesterday in Israel had been “an unforgettable day.” His visit to Israel was marked not only by warmth and by hearty greetings from all here–Jews, Christians and Moslems–but also by order and careful organization which contrasted sharply with the near chaotic conditions that prevailed throughout Jordan on the Pope’s visit there.

During his long, drama-filled day in Israel, Pope Paul had been greeted by Jewish religious leaders, although Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Nissim kept carefully away from the ceremonies. Rabbi Nissim had announced earlier that, as the leading rabbi of Israel, he could not greet the Pontiff unless the latter were to reciprocate by a visit to the Grand Rabbinate. However, Dr. Zorach Warhaftig, Minister for Religious Affairs, was present at the two formal State ceremonies, both at Megiddo and at the farewell at the Mandelbaum Gate.

When the Pope arrived yesterday in Jerusalem, he was greeted not only by Mayor Mordechai Ish-Shalom–who presented the Pontiff with the traditional salt and bread, indicating hospitality–but also by Jerusalem’s Chief Rabbi Pardess. Earlier, at Nazareth, one member of the large, official welcoming party was Rabbi Pincus Miller. The latter is the spiritual leader of Upper Nazareth, a relatively new community numbering about 7,000 Jews Rabbi Miller had been formally invited to the Nazareth ceremonies by Archbishop George Hakim, head of the Galilean diocese. Rabbi Miller, however, did not enter the church at Nazareth, explaining that his religious tenets forbade him to enter a Christian house of worship.

PONTIFF DEFENDED PIUS XII STAND TOWARD JEWS IN NAZI YEARS

Pope Paul defended the late Pope Pius XII here yesterday against charges that have been made that the wartime Pontiff had failed to Speak out against Hitler’s persecutions of the Jews. The defense, alluding to the play. “The Deputy,” by Rolf Hochheth, a West German playwright, which makes those accusations against Pius, was voiced by Portiff in his farewell address here, just before he left Israel after spending 12 hours in the Jewish State.

President Zalman Shazar, flanked by ranking members of Israel’s Cabinet, had just said farewell to Pope Paul, when the Pontiff, in his response, surprisingly touched on the controversy caused by the Hochhuth play.

Pope Paul started his final remarks on Israel’s soil by expressing gratification over his visit here, and voicing thanks for the welcome and hospitality accorded him. He emphasized that he had come here as a representative of “Him who bore peace.” “There is nothing in our heart,” he said, “but feelings of good will toward all men and all people. Indeed, the Church loves everybody in the same measure.” Then he touched on the Plus controversy, stating:

“Our great predecessor, Pius XII, again and again stressed this forcefully–not once, twice–midst the last world war. Everybody knows what he did to help and defend all those who had been tried by war’s tribulations, without discrimination. Yet, as you are aware, an attempt has been made to cast suspicion and, indeed, accusations have been leveled, against the memory of this great Pontiff. We are happy to have the opportunity to state on this day and in this place that there is nothing more unjust than this slight against such a venerated memory.

Those who knew this admirable man intimately know how far his sensibility could go, his compassion for human suffering, his courage, his delicacy of heart, the depth of his feelings, his charity and sympathy vis-a-vis human sufferings, his spirit and the nobility of his heart. It is well known that, after the war, men came to him with tears in their eyes to thank him for saving their lives. Truly following the example of Him Whom they represent here below, Popes desire nothing but the true well-being of all men.”

The Pontiffs statement was made in a colorful setting at the Mandelbaum Cate, where an arch had been erected by Israel for the farewell ceremonies, President Shazar, with Prime Minister Levi Eshkol and other Cabinet members standing next to him, and the members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Israel present, had just delivered his farewell address to the Pope. Speaking in Hebrew, the Israeli President said to the Pope that “our hand is stretched out in a gesture of peace toward the neighboring states; our eyes are lifted in search of true peace in the world, peace firmly based on trust and respect among peoples.”