Rome - Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Rome Friday afternoon following a landmark week-long pilgrimage to the Holy Land that included visits to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

Benedict arrived at Rome's Ciampino military airport on an Israeli airlines El Al flight from Tel Aviv.

The 82-year-old pontiff then boarded a helicopter which took him to Vatican City.

Earlier, Benedict ended his visit with a powerful call for peace at a farewell ceremony held at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion International airport.

He said Israel's right to exist should be "universally recognized," and reiterated the Palestinians' right to a sovereign, independent state.

The pontiff also made a clear bid to compensate for what critics had dismissed as bland and lukewarm remarks at the Israeli Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem, describing his visit to as "deeply moving" and as "one of the most solemn moments of my stay in Israel". (dpa)