Israel's two chief rabbis met Pope John Paul today and asked the leader of the Roman Catholic Church to help combat anti-Semitism and terrorism.
Rabbi Shlomo Amar and Rabbi Yona Metzger said the Pope, who has worked hard to mend Christian-Jewish ties during his 25-year pontificate, had shared their concerns on the issues.
"Our meeting should serve as a way to combat anti-Semitism in the world and especially in Europe," Rabbi Amar told a news conference in the Great Synagogue of Rome, on the banks of the River Tiber, after the papal audience.
A survey published yesterday suggested anti-Semitism was on the rise in Italy, with 35 per cent of those polled saying they believed Jews secretly control finance and the media.
The poll was the latest to warn of anti-Semitism in Europe and follows a disputed European Union study that linked anti-Semitism to a surge of violence in the Middle East.
"There is a link between anti-Semitism and terrorism (against Israel)... The causes of terrorism are also religious," said Rabbi Metzger.
The rabbis said they had spoken to the 83-year-old pope for 35 minutes and had found him on good form.
"He heard everything, he spoke, he was very involved in the conversation. He was very warm, very kind to us," said Rabbi Metzger.