Pope Benedict visits Israel and the Palestinian territories

An Israeli flag flutters ahead of Pope Benedict as he arrives at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport Photograph: Ettore Ferrari/EPA

The pontiff disembarks a Royal Jordanian airlines plane after arriving in Israel Photograph: Carsten Koall/Getty Images

An Israeli rightwing activist protests against the papal visit outside the Jerusalem residence of Israel's president Photograph: Moti Milrod/AP

Israel's president, Shimon Peres, greets the pope during a welcoming ceremony at Ben Gurion airport Photograph: Tony Gentile/Reuters

Shortly before the pope's arrival, Israeli police take position near the Apostolic Delegation building in Jerusalem, where he is staying while in Jerusalem Photograph: Muhammed Muheisen/AP

An aide rushes to disentagle a windswept pope from an unruly papal cape after his arrival by helicopter in Jerusalem Photograph: Kobi Gideon/EPA

Peres gives the pope a wreath of a new hybrid strain of wheat named Benedictus XVI Photograph: Ahikam Seri/Getty Images

The pontiff is greeted by Peres during a ceremony at the president's residence Photograph: /Reuters

The pope attends a wreath laying ceremony at Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum in Jerusalem. The suffering of Holocaust victims should never be forgotten, denied or belittled, he said as he visited the museum Photograph: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images

(From left to right) Rabbi She'ar Yashuv Cohen, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Pope Benedict, Fouad Twal, the head of the Latin patriarch in Jerusalem, and Sheikh Taysir al-Tamimi, the head of the Palestinian sharia court, attend a meeting with council of religious community leaders in Israel in Jerusalem Photograph: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images

Spanish pilgrims gather on Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem's old city Photograph: Marco Longari/AFP/Getty Images

The pontiff visits Jerusalem's Western Wall Photograph: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images

The pontiff places a note in the Western Wall Photograph: Tony Gentile/Reuters

The note left by the pope Photograph: GPO/Getty Images

The pope walks in front of the Dome of the Rock as he visits the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem Photograph: Ziv Koren/AP

Christian youths walk towards the mass at Kidron valley, which separates the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives Photograph: Tara Todras-Whitehill/AP

Nuns wave Vatican flags before the pope arrives at the Latin Patriarch church in Jerusalem Photograph: Brian Hendler/AFP/Getty Images

A Christian pilgrim sits with an invitation to the mass at Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem's old city Photograph: Tara Todras-Whitehill/AP

A priest photographs the pontiff as he blesses Christians at the Latin Patriarch church Photograph: Brian Hendler/AFP/Getty Images

The pope is surrounded by security as he leaves the church Photograph: Brian Hendler/AFP/Getty Images

A Palestinian woman peers from a hole at a house near a UN school Photograph: Marco Longari/AFP/Getty

Worshippers wave Palestinian and Vatican flags as Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Holy Mass with a crowd of thousands of pilgrims and Palestinian Christians in the Valley of Gethsemane Photograph: David Silverman/Getty

Crowds gather as Pope Benedict XVI celebrates a holy mass at Kidron Valley Photograph: Carsten Koall/Getty Images

Pope Benedict after a holy mass at Kidron Valley Photograph: Carsten Koall/Getty

A nun carries a picture of Jesus as she waits for Pope Benedict XVI to celebrate a holy mass at Kidron Valley Photograph: Carsten Koall/Getty

Nuns wave their national flags as Pope Benedict XVI celebrates a holy mass at Kidron Valley Photograph: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images

Nuns pray during the mass at Kidron Valley Photograph: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images

Pope Benedict XVI passes ancient Jewish graves on the Mount of Olives Photograph: David Silverman/Getty

The pope leads a mass outside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem Photograph: Tony Gentile/Reuters

The pontiff waves from his popemobile as arrives to celebrate a mass at Manger Square in the West Bank town of Bethlehem Photograph: Marco Longari/AFP/Getty

Worshippers wait for the pope's arrival ahead of the Mass on Mount Precipice in Nazareth Photograph: Bernat Armangue/AP

The pope mobile to celebrate mass on Mount Precipice, just outside the city of Nazareth Photograph: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images

A nun holds a rosary and a picture of a saint as she attends the mass on Mount Precipice Photograph: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images

A nun waves an Argentinian flag during mass celebrated on Mount Precipice Photograph: Daniel Bar-on/AFP/Getty Images

Nuns celebrate mass on Mount Precipice Photograph: Daniel Bar-on/AFP/Getty Images

The pope visits the grotto, where Christians believe the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus, at the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem Photograph: L'Osservatore Romano/AP