Ben Gurion Airport, Israel - Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Israel late Monday morning, for a five-day visit which will also take in the Palestinian areas.

The pontiff, who flew in on a Royal Jordanian Airlines plane from Amman, Jordan, received a red carpet welcome at Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv, and was greeted by Israeli leaders.

During his visit, Benedict will meet with Israeli and Palestinian political and religious leaders, and visit Christian, Jewish and Muslim holy sites, and conduct religious services.

Following three days in Jordan, the Israel and Palestinian territories part of the pope's trip promises to be the most delicate, diplomatically, with relations between the Catholic church and some parts of the Jewish community strained after the pope ended the ex- communication earlier this year of a Holocaust-denying bishop.(dpa)