Tel Aviv - Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero met Israeli President Shimon Peres Thursday and said he was in Jerusalemto contribute to the peace process in the Middle East and "reinforce" the friendshipbetween the two countries. The Spanish leader began his 24-hour trip by visiting the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial centre in Jerusalem.
He toured the centre's museum and hall of names and, wearing a skullcap, lit a memorial flame.
"Six million, six million .. barbarism, pain, memory. Peace, peace. With my affection for the Jewish people, with my friendship toward Israel, " he wrote in Spanish in the centre's guestbook.
In addition to Peres, Zapatero will also meet Thursday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and will dine in the evening with Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu before departing Friday morning.
