Netanyahu gives pope book by father on Inquisition
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday gave Pope Francis a book about the Inquisition in Spain written by his late father, an expert on the Catholic Church's forced conversion and expulsion of Jews in the 15th century.
Netanyahu presented a Spanish translation of the 1995 book, "The Origins of the Inquisition," to Francis during their 25-minute private audience. He also gave the pope a large silver menorah.
Netanyahu's father, Ben-Zion Netanyahu, was an Israeli historian who died last year. A Zionist activist who opposed partitioning Palestine between Arabs and Jews, he was best known in academic circles for his research into the medieval Inquisition against the Jews of Spain
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"To his Holiness Pope Franciscus, a great shepherd of our common heritage," the Israeli leader wrote on the inside front page of the book
Netanyahu joked that while his father spoke perfect Spanish as a result of his research "my Spanish doesn't exist." The Israeli leader and Argentine pope spoke through a translator.
Francis thanked him and presented Netanyahu with a small bronze plaque of St. Paul.
A Vatican statement said discussions between the Israeli and Vatican delegations focused on restarting Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and Francis' upcoming pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}While no dates have been set, the trip is expected sometime in May and is also expected to include a stop in Jordan.
Later Monday, Netanyahu met with Italian Premier Enrico Letta and warned that Iran represented a threat to Europe and the entire world if it acquires nuclear weapons.
Letta, for his part, announced that Italy had set aside funding to build a Holocaust museum in Ferrara, and invited Netanyahu to join him for the inauguration.