Followers of Sheik Nazem abu Salim, a radical Muslim cleric in Nazareth, have put up a banner next to the famed Church of the Annunciation. It trumpets a verse from the Koran declaring: "Those who harm God and His Messenger -- God has cursed them in this world and in the hereafter."
The banner is expected to be removed by the time Benedict reaches the church Thursday, but the sentiment behind it, a protest against his 2006 speech about Islam, lingers. Anonymous leaflets calling for disruptive acts have circulated in advance of the papal visit to Nazareth, which will include a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
