Israel's President Shakes Hands with Assad, Khatami....

Israeli President Katsav shook hand with Syrian President Assad and Iranian President Khatami at the Pope's funeral.

Katsav told Israeli media that he shook hands twice with Syrian President Bashar Assad, who sat one row behind him during the service. Dignitaries were seated in alphabetical order, according to their countries.

Katsav said the first handshake occurred when he turned to shake hands with the nearby Swiss leader. "The Syrian president also stood there. We exchanged smiles and shook hands," Katsav told the Web site of the Maariv daily.

"During the prayers, according to the Christian tradition we exchanged handshakes ... During this, it was the Syrian president who extended his hand to me and we again shook hands," he said.

The Iranian-born Katsav also spoke briefly with Iranian President Mohammed Khatami in Farsi.

Katsav said that as he was leaving, "the Iranian president held his hand out to me. I shook his hand and greeted him in Farsi."

Cohen said the men conversed about Yazd, the city in central Iran where both men were born.

Katsav was also embraced Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Cohen said. Israel does not have relations with any of the countries.