February 5, 2004
Source: Ha-Aretz
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/391283.html
On February 5, 2004 Ha-Aretz reported, "Pope John Paul said Thursday that anti-Semitism and racism had to be utterly and repeatedly condemned and that violence in the name of religion was a desecration. The pope, addressing leaders of the American Jewish Committee visiting the Vatican, also said the Holy Land needed a solution that respected both Israelis and Palestinians. 'There is regrettably a great need to repeat our utter condemnation of racism and anti-Semitism,' he said, noting that next year marks the 40th anniversary of a major Vatican statement that revolutionized Catholic relations with Jews."