Pope visits Israel and Palestinian territories

By Philip Pullella

AMMAN (Reuters) - Pope Benedict on Monday begins the most delicate part of his first trip to the Middle East, with a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories.

He leaves Jordan after three days in which he stressed his desire for warm relations between Christians and Muslims and tried to wipe away residual bitterness over a 2006 lecture he made which Muslims saw as offensive.

After being seen off by Jordan's King Abdullah, Benedict, 82, will make a 30-minute flight from Amman to Tel Aviv and be welcomed by President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

During his five-day stay in Israel and the Palestinian territories, he is expected to repeat his offer for the Catholic Church to do all it can to help the stalled peace process.

Between visits to sacred sites connected to the life of Jesus he will also hold talks with Israeli officials, Palestinian leaders and Jewish and Islamic religious leaders.

The Vatican supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Since being sworn in as head of Israel's new, right-leaning government on March 31, Netanyahu has not specifically discussed establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, a U.S. and Arab priority.

Anything the pope says on the subject will echo around the region, particularly when he visits a Palestinian refugee camp in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. In Bethlehem he will meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.