Pope called to cancel trip to "Israel"

A group of Palestinian Christians has asked Pope Benedict XVI to call off his upcoming visit to the occupied Palestinian territories.

After an "Israeli" TV channel aired a program with sacrilegious remarks about the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ (PBUH), the 40 community activists wrote to the Pope that his visit would "help boost ‘Israel's' image and inadvertently minimize Palestinian suffering under ‘Israeli' occupation."

Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to visit "Israel" in May amid worsening ties between the Vatican and Tel Aviv. The Vatican's decision to lift the excommunication of Bishop Richard Williamson, who denies the Holocaust, sparked the row.

The Christians also condemned the "Israeli" television show.

Last week on a show broadcast on "Israel's" Channel 10 and hosted by "Israeli" comedian Lior Shlein, the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ (PBUH) were openly insulted.

Palestinian Christians who live within "Israel" demonstrated against the blasphemy, while the Vatican issued a statement condemning the program.

The demonstrators demanded an official apology from "Israeli" President Shimon Peres for the 'blasphemous' remarks.