Pope reportedly plans visit to Israel

JERUSALEM, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI has accepted an invitation from President Shimon Peres to visit Israel in May, sources say.

The visit has not been officially announced by either the Vatican or the Israeli government, Haaretz reported.

The newspaper said that Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Antonio Franco, the Vatican representative in Israel, told Peres two weeks ago that the pope would accept an invitation if one was offered. Peres then invited a visit and received an acceptance.

Relations between the Vatican and Israel have been strained by the possible canonization of Pope Pius XII, who headed the Catholic Church during and immediately after World War II. Benedict has not signed a decree for Pius's beatification, the last step before sainthood, but has defended his actions during the war.

Critics say that Pius failed to speak out as European Jews were massacred. His defenders, who included prominent Jews immediately after the war, said that the pope believed he could save more people by avoiding an open confrontation with the Nazi regime.

The visit would be the third by a pope. Paul VI spent 11 hours in the country in 1964. In 2000, John Paul II stayed for five days.