Madiba arrives in Jerusalem

Former president Nelson Mandela arrived in Jerusalem on Monday on his first visit to the Jewish state which is being hailed here as a sign of Israel’s improved international standing. A foreign ministry official said he arrived mid-morning at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport before heading to Jerusalem. Although the visit has been described as “private,” Mandela is due to meet Israeli President Ezer Weizman and Prime Minister Ehud Barak on Monday before heading to the Palestinian territories to meet Yasser Arafat.