Israeli President Shimon Peres meets with Pope Francis April 30, 2013. Photo: Israel GPO.

Times of Israel – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Monday morning with Pope Francis at the Vatican. The encounter was the prime minister’s first with the current pope, who has already met at the Vatican with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in October and with Israeli President Shimon Peres in April. Netanyahu met with the previous pope, Benedict XVI, in 2009, and with pope John Paul II in 1997.

Citing an anonymous official Israeli source, CNN reported last week that the pope was scheduled to make his first visit to Israel in May. The Vatican has not confirmed that report.

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