Among the many condolence messages sent from around the world following the death of Pope Francis, the near-total silence from Israel stood out.
Aside from a statement by President Isaac Herzog, who expressed condolences to the Catholic world and voiced hope that “his memory will inspire acts of kindness and hope for humanity,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar were notably silent, neither issuing any comment nor tweeting about the Pope’s passing.
Israeli officials have not concealed the reason for this silence – it is directly linked to the Pope’s recent statements regarding Israel and the war in Gaza.
Over the past year, Francis remarked that what is happening in Gaza “is not a war. It’s cruelty,” and accused Israel of “bombing children and mowing them down with machine guns.” He also claimed that “what is happening in Gaza has characteristics of genocide.”
Nevertheless, several Israeli officials have criticized the decision to remain silent, arguing that the Pope was not just a political leader.
Raising eyebrows: Drawing attention to deleted post
“I think the decision is a mistake. We shouldn’t keep score like this after someone’s death,” Raphael Schutz, who served until last summer as Israel’s ambassador to the Vatican, told The Jerusalem Post.
He made it clear that the Pope’s remarks deserve strong condemnation and that Israel should have responded diplomatically at the time.
“But now, we’re not only talking about a head of state, but also a spiritual leader for over a billion people – nearly 20% of humanity. I don’t think silence sends the right message.”
The Foreign Ministry did briefly post messages on social media accounts – Instagram, Facebook, and X – saying, “Rest in peace, Pope Francis. May his memory be a blessing.” However, those posts were deleted shortly afterward, raising eyebrows and drawing attention.
The Pope’s funeral is scheduled for Saturday morning. Given both his past criticisms of Israel and the fact that the funeral will take place on the Jewish Shabbat, it remains unclear whether Israel will send an official representative.
Former ambassador Schutz believes Israel should – and can – send a delegate, despite the timing.
“This will be a funeral attended by world leaders. If we are absent, it will be conspicuous and reflect poorly on us. It could reinforce a sense of isolation, already heightened by the ongoing war, and unnecessarily add fuel to that fire. That would be unfortunate.”
Officials at the Foreign Ministry told the Post that “the tweet and messages were posted in error. We responded to the Pope’s statements against Israel and the war during his lifetime, and we will not do so after his death. We respect the feelings of his believers.”