http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/2014/05/pope-to-drive-around-bethlehem-in-open.html#links Pope to drive around Bethlehem in open car, declare himself Che Guevara of 'Palestine'
Does it get crazier than this? Pope Francis is coming to Israel later this month, and he says that he will drive around Bethlehem with no security in an open top car. Rumor also has it that he will declare himself the Che Guevara of the 'Palestinian Authority.'
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180675#.U3Ye2yi2xJE Pope Francis apparently feels very at ease over his visit to Palestinian Authority (PA) controlled areas during his May 24-26 visit to Israel. The Vatican reported on Thursday that he will ride in open-top non-bulletproof cars in Bethlehem.
The pope's predecessor, Benedict XVI, rode in a bulletproof "popemobile," an armored car introduced after the attempted assassination of John Paul II in 1981. The current pope has in the past shown his preference for non-bulletproof cars.
"It's a program that he (the pope) himself has approved," Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told AFP.
Some may doubt Francis's decision, given the animosity towards Christians in Bethlehem which was on display last week, as Christian Arab residents of a village near the city were savagely attacked by local Muslims with stones as they celebrated a Christian holiday at Saint George’s Monastery
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/177110#.U3Yffyi2xJE. Indeed, most Christians have reportedly been driven out of the city by Muslims.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180652#.U3YfCSi2xJE A possible indicator to the pope's feeling of ease may be found in reports from February by Rabbi Sergio Bergman, a member of the Argentinian parliament and close friend of Pope Francis, who said that the pope intends to define himself as the "Che Guevera of the Palestinians" and support their "struggle and rights" during his visit.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/177110#.U3Yffyi2xJEOnce upon a time, Bethlehem was overwhelmingly Christian. Not any more. I think he's off his rocker to do this.