Pope assures followers in Holy Land that peace is possible

Pope Benedict XVI assured his followers in the Holy Land that peace is possible, as he ended his Middle East visit today by putting aside the contentious issues he has confronted and coming as a pilgrim to the site of Jesus’ crucifixion.

Before boarding an aeroplane for Rome at Israel’s international airport later in the day, the pope appeared to address some of the criticism levelled at him for a speech on the Holocaust that some Israelis felt was lukewarm. He also called Israel’s West Bank separation barrier “one of the saddest sights” of his visit.