Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will meet Pope Benedict XVI during a trip to Europe next week.
Mr Olmert's spokeswoman said the meeting will take place at the Vatican on Wednesday. There were no immediate details on the agenda.
Although such meetings are rare, it is not the first time an Israeli leader will meet the pontiff.
Israel and the Vatican established diplomatic relations in the 1990s, and the late pope John Paul II hosted Israeli prime ministers and other officials as part of his effort to build ties with Israel.
AP
