Pope Benedict XVI yesterday called for a Palestinian state and peace in the Middle East, but his message of hope has been overshadowed by the resurrection of his enrollment in the Hitler Youth.

Benedict caused a minor scandal earlier this week when, while at a Holocaust memorial in Israel, he failed to mention Nazis or Germans when he said that Hitler’s eradication of Jews should never be forgotten. Critics lashed out at him, and pointed out that he had once been a member of the Hitler Youth, but a Vatican aide insisted that wasn’t true. That aide must not have read Benedict’s book, in which he admits to having been a part of the group.

In Bethlehem this morning, Benedict said the Palestinians should have a sovereign state "in the land of your forefathers, secure and at peace with its neighbors, within internationally recognized borders.” He also urged Palestinian youth to steer clear of violence, which the Catholic leader referred to as a "temptation."