Pope Benedict XVI begins fraught five-day Holy Land visit in Israel
DEBKAfile Special Report
May 11, 2009, 12:30 PM (GMT+02:00)
Pope Benedict XVI received in Israel
In his opening words upon landing in Israel, Monday, May 11, from Jordan, Pope Benedict XVI said: "It is right and fitting that I should honor the memory of the six million Jews who perished in the Shoah" and called for combat of anti-Semitism as "repugnant" and "unacceptable."
The German-born pontiff, who was greeted by Israel's president, prime minister and a long line of dignitaries.
Politically, his Holy Land pilgrimage is a minefield. Israel has mounted a vast scurity operation for the visit.
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Netanyahu-Mubarak Talks Aim to produce Arab-Israel Front vs Iran
DEBKAfile Exclusive Analysis
May 11, 2009, 10:44 AM (GMT+02:00)
Binyamin Netanyahu breaks new ground
If successful, Binyamin Netanyahu's first talks as Israeli prime minister with Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak at Sharm el Sheikh Monday, May 11, could mark the epic birth of Israel's first alliance with two key Arab nations, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, in order to stop Iran - possibly for concessions on the Palestinian issue to them rather than Washington.
Israel rejects the tradeoff implied by US National adviser Gen. James Jones Sunday that a two state-solution would diminish Iran's existential threat to Israel.
Read DEBKAfile's exclusive background analysis below.
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Pakistan hangs back from major Swat offensive, talks secretly to Taliban
DEBKAfile Special Analysis
May 10, 2009, 7:18 PM (GMT+02:00)
Pakistani troops in embattled Swat Valley
DEBKAfile's military sources report that accounts of a major Pakistan military offensive launched to flush Taliban out of their strongholds in the northern Swat Valley are generally inflated, although hundreds of thousands of desperate civilians are fleeing the valley.
Our sources report the Islamabad government and local insurgent chiefs are in secret negotiation for a "victorious" military takeover of the embattled valley.
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