Subject: Letter to Editor: Pope’s Apology

19 March 2000

The Editor

Guardian Weekly, London.

Re:" Pope apologises for sins of Roman Catholic church" {March 16}

It is admirable of the Pope to admit guilt and seek forgiveness for the historic sins of Roman Catholics against Jews and others.

Israel’s Chief Rabbi, Meir Lau, said he expects more and is deeply frustrated by the Pope’s failure to mention the Holcaust by name.

With this in mind it behoves the Chief Rabbi, in turn, to show similar generosity of spirit, admitting guilt and seeking forgiveness for the repeated massacres, war crimes and the calculated ethnic cleansing that his fellow co-religionists commited against the Muslims and Christians of Palestine over the last fifty years and more.

Yours sincerely

Ismail Zayid,M.D.