It is great to have aPope who is capable of understanding the importance of taking leadership on this issue.

Dr. David Zweig, Hong Kong,

It's nice to hear this powerful religious leader recognizing and decrying governmental anti-semitism.

May the day speedily arrive when all religious leaders will feel free to fight and be able to eradicate bigotry within their own organizations as well as throughout the world.

Larry, Buffalo, NY

Support the Pope's call to stop antisemitism masquerading as antizionism. We must unite against the evil incitement spread by Iranian leaders!

O.I.F., Berkeley, CA

Everybody should listen to him because he knows what he is saying, thank you for speaking the truth Pope Benedict the XVI!

Tamir, New York,

Absolutely agree

Sean, Boston, MA

In the words of David, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"

May the Lord continue to bless you and keep you always in His Perfect Will through Christ, our Lord; and may ALL who dwell in Jerusalem be at Peace through His Mighty Hand.

Thank you for taking a stand against the evil that would seek to destroy God's chosen people.....you will certainly be blessed as a result.

In His Service,

Beth Ann Holley, Dalton, GA

It is indeed better late than never that the pope condemns antiSemitic statements, before they become irreversible acts.

Laser, Petah Tiqwa, Israel

It is gratifying to hear the Pope take a stand against inhumane policy of Iran towards Israel. We are thankful, despite the critical times, it is better now than the Nazis era, when the Holy Father had to keep silent. We pray that Rulers with poor judgment, carrying a grudge against the Jewish People who contributed allot to the benefit of mankind, find the right path and learn to be thankful to the good that the Jewish people bring to this World. The Ottoman Empire, Iraq included, realized how good the Jewish People are, opened their doors to them, ultimately benefiting from their contributions.

abe haya, Las,

It is gratifying to hear the Pope taking a stand against the antisemitic stand of the Iranian Government. Unlike during the Nazi era, when he kept silent, we are thankful for his frankness and courageous opinion. We pray that the errant Rulers who do not recognize the good brought to the World by the Jewish People,
will soon see the light and change their stance. The Ottoman Empire which included Iraq, found fit to open its doors to oppressed Jewish People, ending benefiting from their contribution to the its Empire.

abe haya, las vegas,, NV, USA

Bravo to the Pope for standing up against antisemitism, the ugliest bigotry of our times. At times its so bad I feel like were back in the 1940s and the hate that was then.

God bless Israel and God bless the Popes actions against the bigotry of Iran and other country's. They say all manner of terrible things against the Jews and Christians yet they hate when a Jew or Christian speaks against Mohammad or the Islamic followers.

To the Muslims I say your racists comments are the same as someones racist comment against you. Please stand up against the bigots amongst you.

RichardRose, Somewhere ville, California

May this not be the only time the Pope takes such a necessary and courageous step. I would like him to urge world leaders to make similar declarations.

Aggie, Los Angeles, US

The Pope is a great man and leader but you can not educate people that only burn the books and turn a deaf ear to truths.

Bernie, NY, USA

I congratulate Pope Benedict, on his stand to respect Israel. He is a courageous leader, and a good example for the Catholic Church.

Richardcoj, Reno,

Although I am uplifted that the Pope appears to support Israel and identifies the anti-Jewish rantings of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, I remain skeptical regarding the underlying motive behind such support. History tells us that the Papacy has not been a friend of the Jews in the past.

Barbara Peterson, Sprague River, Oregon, USA

Thanks, Pope, a lot of thanks.

N, madrid, spain

This is good... I look forward to seeing some substantive and consistant efforts against the enemies of Israel.

b'Shalom
Henaynei

henaynei, West Jefferson, NC

If only there had been more like this Pope who had spoken out against Hitler! This Pope is very influential. There are many reasons why the Iranian regime should be condemned. And just because the Jews of Iran say the regime isn't anti-Semitic doesn't make it the truth. Their lives would be in danger if they said otherwise.

Chaya, Bat Yam, Israel

A headline is created by the newspaper and even if it weren't, it's only semantics. The Pope did not attack Muslims; he decried the resurgence of world-wide anti-Semitism, including that in Iran. And Omar, it behooves you to reread the article to see that it was the WJC delegation which encouraged the Pope to engage in dialogue with modeate Muslims. By the way, Omar, do you know that there is an Arab on the Supreme Court of Israel, in the Knesset and that Arabs have represented Israel as diplomats beginning with a man who was appointed to the Israel Consulate in NY in 1972. He was only 32 years old and his country was considerably younger than he. Subsequently, he was in the UN Delegation, member of the Knesset and Senior Advisor to the Education Ministry. You'd serve your cause better to shout from the rooftops that radical Islamist terrorists do not represent Islam.

Billie, Tucson, USA

I'm glad to hear of the Pope's comments; Ahmadenijad is a danger to Jews and Christians alike, and we need to work together to stop him and his allies.

Shlomo, Chicago,

This is a very positive first step...and now for all the other world leaders to take from the Pope's example?

Ronit Fraid, Melbourne, Australia

The Pope is to be commended for stating in his address that we must unite against the evil incitement which is being spread by Iranian leaders and for acknowledging that global antisemitism is on the rise and is being fanned by comments by such leaders as Ahmadinegad who denies that the Holocaust happened to the Jewish people. I encourage the Pope to stand firm on denouncing those who incite antisemitism.

Shirley Anne Haber, Toronto, Canada

To deny the Jews their right to Israel is such a serious anti-semitic crime. How is it acceptable that there can be no place for the Jews in the Middle East? Anti-Zionism is indeed anti-semitism. This is not a declaration of war against Moslems, but we are however not oblivious to the fact that sadly many Moslem countries have an attitude of zero tolerance towards Israel and Jewish people in the Middle East, rejecting any possibility for a 2 state solution. Is it not possible to live and let live?

Liu Zhenghao, Singapore, Singapore

THis is good to hear. The more i hear from this pope, the more i'm thinking of converting to Catholicism - He stands up for Christians and now Jews against a hypocritical left wing/hard line muslim alliance which tries to compare Israel with Nazi Geramany, and completely ignores the sufferings of Chirstians and Jews (and moderate muslims) in Islamic countires.
Daily Attacks on Christians in Gaza - if this gets reported at all is blamed on Israel - Yet this alliance remains silent to the genocide in Sudan and daily stonings and floggings in Iran, and other hard line Islamic regimes.

Deborah Russell, Vale of Glamorgan, UK

Sadly the Pope seems determined, once again, to tread the confrontation road with Moslems and Islam .

To equate anti Zionism with anti Semitism and Jews with Israel necessarily implies that both Moslems and Islam per se are anti Jew and Anti Semitic.

Aside from the fact that that is NOT the case re Jews and anti Semitism ,as far as Moslems and Islam are concerned ,the very adoption and inevitable subsequent propagation of both of these Zionist dualities signifies a complete Papal identification with a Zionist Israel. ie with the colonization of Palestine .

That is as clear a declaration of WAR on Islam and Moslems as can be made by any non temporal power.

The fact that the Pope and other Christian authorities had recently opted , and rightly so, to clear Chritianity from its historical .anti Semitism should not be reason enough for them to commit the very same mistake in regards to Islam by replicating their old historical mistake but with slight change of object

Omar I. Nashashibi, Amman, Jordan

Benjamen and Omar - what a poor imagination.
The "Zionist Regime" exists only in your antisemitic brains,
same as Iranian president's who doesn't recognise the State of Israel - hence 'the regime'.
The term was invented, of course, by the Soviet ideologists who always fought against any liberal democracy - a fine example of such democracy is Israel.

Michael, Bournemouth, UK

"Iran’s government, which has the largest Jewish community living in the Middle East outside Israel, numbering 20,000, repeatedly denies that it is anti-Semitic."

Iran's 1948 Jewish population, 100,000. Current population, 20,000. No comment necessary.

Wallace Edward Brand, Alexandria, Virginia, USA

thought i was reading the sun for a minute there

jim, edinburgh, scotland

"but that the Zionist regime should do so.Just like the Soviet one. "(Benjiman, London)
Or the SA Apartheid regime , a closer kin,for that matter!

Omar I. Nashashibi, Amman, Jordan

Each of us has limited lifespan. Why don't we just work together to enjoy our limited life on this earth. Restore paradise. We can make this world so abundant, we don't have to work hard to live. I'm not encouraging laziness, but I think God is willing to provide all the goods if we just inundate this world with brotherly and Divine love. Love should be the top commodity, and not gold and silver. Imagine a world where you can just easily pick fishes at the river banks or the beaches if you want to eat sea foods. Or just pick fruits along the street if you feel like eating them. People will produce goods not for profit but to give gifts to people. Winning friends and pleasing people will be the new contest. Profit will have no meaning. Impossible? We have the scientists and technology to multiply food production, but their minds right now are busy creating expensive weaponry. If we can remove war and greed from the equation, we can make it happen.

Maurice, Palermo, Italy

The pope does not attack muslims only actions. Muslims are loved by Jesus as all of us Jews and Christians are. Some have sinned very much against Christians and Jews. Those a

ctions are deplorable as all sins against Love are.
Carol Minneapolsi, Minn.

Carol , Minneapols, Minn.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did not say Israel to be “wiped from the map” but that the Zionist regime should do so.Just like the Soviet one.
Why is he always being misquoted?

Benjiman, London,

Ms. Gledhill ,

I see no comments from the Pope which "attacks" Iran. He said he was a "concerned". A very irresponsible and manufactured headline.

RP, BB, FLA

How do you get your headline from what is reported in the article? Have you decided to just completely make stuff up? Aren't you even a little bit ashamed?

John B, Washington, DC,

Jesus and all of the early disciples were Jews. It was from Judaism that Christianity originated from.

A. Jackson, Taipei,

Anti-Semitism is a horrible sickness which does not seem to go away. There is no place for it anywhere in the world.

thomas f warner, madison, wisconsin, USA

Anyone familiar with Pope Benedict's actual writings and words knows that your headline about him attacking Iran is (1) a sensational inaccuracy; (2) a disservice to Catholic-Muslim relations; and (3) a further provocation of hostility between the Judaeo-Christian West and the Persian and Arab Middle East.

Br. John Ignatius Little, Denver, CO, USA

Things may seem bad with all of the world's attention being placed on the negative influences of religious politics.

Listen to the pleadings of Our Lady of America from Rome City, IN and lead the world back to purity by the testament of your own life.

Olivia, South Bend, INDIANA