This week in power: Pope prep and Rand Paul’s gestures

A roundup of the most talked about political and global stories in the Jewish world this week:

The Pope is coming
Many in Israel are excited about the upcoming visit by Pope Francis, hoping it “will breathe new life into the peace process,” ” target=”_blank”>protect them from graffiti and possible disruption. “The Israelis say they must be strict because they are responsible for keeping the peace. In 1834 hundreds were killed in a stampede. This year’s Holy Fire flared without injury. But Catholic priests suggest that Israel is using extra security measures to change the Old City’s status, providing for unfettered access to Jews, while limiting the number of Christian worshippers,” ” target=”_blank”>asked Ron Kampeas at JTA. The Kentucky senator, who may compete for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination “chatted with rabbis on a conference call and proposed legislation to cut funding to the Palestinian Authority unless it recognizes Israel as a Jewish state,” Kampeas reported. He's aligning himself with Republican Jewish voters on several significant issues. After the call, Paul