The Israeli government posted, then deleted, a message of condolence for Pope Francis following his death, without providing an explanation. According to the Jerusalem Post, the deletion may be tied to the late pontiff’s past criticisms of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
On Monday, the official @Israel account on X posted: “Rest in Peace, Pope Francis. May his memory be a blessing,” along with a photo of him at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
The Jerusalem Post cited foreign ministry officials who claimed the message was posted “in error,” citing the pope’s “statements against Israel.”
X’s official profile for the @Israel account indicates it is linked to Israel’s Foreign Ministry, which did not respond to a Reuters inquiry for comment.
Pope Francis, who passed away Monday at 88, had previously called for international scrutiny over whether Israel’s military operations in Gaza could constitute genocide—one of his sharpest criticisms of the war, which began in October 2023.
In January, he referred to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as “shameful,” a comment that drew criticism from Rome’s chief rabbi, who accused the pope of “selective indignation.”
Israel maintains that genocide accusations are unfounded, asserting that its actions target Hamas and other militant groups.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not publicly addressed the pope’s death, but President Isaac Herzog sent condolences to Christians globally, calling Francis “a man of deep faith and boundless compassion.”
Although the Catholic Church and Judaism have seen improved relations in recent decades after long periods of tension, this incident highlights lingering sensitivities.
Throughout his 12-year papacy, Francis generally avoided taking sides in global conflicts. He condemned antisemitism and regularly spoke by phone with Gaza’s Christian community during the war.
In 2014, he prayed at the Western Wall in Jerusalem—Judaism’s holiest site—as well as at Israel’s separation barrier between Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the West Bank.
