Prime Minister Netanyahu visits Pope Francis

This was the first meeting between the Israeli Prime Minister and Pope Francis. Netanyahu and the Pope discussed the ongoing negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority as well as the visit of the Pope to Israel and the rest of the Holy Land which is scheduled for 2014.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by a high level delegation including some government ministers, the Israeli ambassador to the Vatican and his wife Sara. He presented the Pope with a hannukia – the candelabrum used for the Feast of Hannuka (celebrated in these days) – and a book written by his father, a renowned historian, on the Spanish inquisition. Netanyahu had inscribed the book with an inscription describing Pope Francis as “the great shepherd of our common heritage”.

After the meeting with the Pope, Netanyahu also met with the Secretary of State, Archbishop Pietro Parolin with whom he also discussed the negotiations that continue between the State of Israel and the Holy See.

See video clip here

Read report on YNet here