Pope's Holy Land Pilgrimage

In Israel the German-born pontiff will be seeking to continue to repair relations, after he angered many Jews earlier this year by lifting the excommunication of a Holocaust-denying British bishop.

The Vatican says it did not know enough about the bishop's past and both sides now hope the issue can be definitively closed with a visit to Jerusalem's Yad Vashem memorial to Holocaust victims.

Most Jewish leaders now consider the episode to have been put to rest -- but not all. The Dorot Hemeshech association of Holocaust survivors has called on drivers to blow their car horns during the pope's speech at Yad Vashem.

"Israelis will this way express their disapproval of the pope who encourages Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism," the association said.

The German-born pontiff's membership in the Hitler Youth, although it was forced, has also angered Holocaust survivors.

In addition, a group of far-right activists has said they plan to press criminal charges against the pope over Vatican treasures they claim were plundered from Jewish people, while Nitzan Horowitz, a gay rights activist and a left-wing parliamentarian, will boycott all official ceremonies held for the pope.

"Pope Benedict XVI is responsible for the suffering of thousands of people in the world," Horowitz said.

"He conveys a message of extremism and insensitivity," he added, referring to a papal warning that condom use could be aggravating Africa's AIDS crisis.

Pope to meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders

During his five-day visit, Pope Benedict will hold talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. He is expected to repeat his offer for the Catholic Church to do all it can to help the stalled peace process.

The Vatican supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which also has internationally backing.

Pope Benedict will be welcomed by Israeli President Shimon Peres and the country's new, right-leaning prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Since being sworn in to power at the end of March, Netanyahu has so far refused to publicly endorse the creation of a Palestinian state.

He did, however, say on Sunday that Israel will try to ease restrictions on Palestinians in the West Bank.

"I think we need to make a big effort, within the given security constraints, to make things easier for the Palestinians," Netanyahu reportedly told ministers during a cabinet meeting.

After welcoming the pope, Prime Minister Netanyahu heads to Egypt, on his first trip to the Arab world since he took office. Egypt is looking for Netanyahu to support and endorse Palestinian independence.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council is holding talks on Monday, to also revive the stalled Middle East peace process.

Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, who chairs the 15-member Security Council this month, called the meeting to stress the "urgency of reaching comprehensive peace in the Middle East."