JERUSALEM  The Israeli police on Monday closed down an official Palestinian media center that had been set up in East Jerusalem for the visit of Pope Benedict XVI, as Israel and the Palestinians competed to exercise authority in the contested part of the city.

As the pope arrived in Jerusalem, each side accused the other of exploiting his visit for political gain. Though the pope’s movements have been carefully choreographed to avoid obvious political minefields, every step and word was bound to be closely scrutinized.

Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 war and annexed the territory containing some of the holiest sites for Christians, Muslims and Jews. The annexation was never recognized abroad.

Israel has hoped to fend off any open challenge to its rule over Jerusalem during the pope’s visit, while Palestinian officials said they were worried that the pope would be put into situations that implied de facto acceptance of the Israeli annexation. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future Palestinian state.