The Israeli government shared and then deleted a social media post offering condolences over the death of Pope Francis, without saying why, though an Israeli newspaper linked the decision to the late pontiff's criticism of the war in Gaza.
The verified @Israel account had posted on Monday a message on social media platform X that read: "Rest in Peace, Pope Francis. May his memory be a blessing", alongside an image of the pope visiting the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
The Jerusalem Post quoted officials at the foreign ministry as saying that the pope had made "statements against Israel" and that the social media post had been published in "error".
The foreign ministry, which social media platform X states on its website is linked to the verified @Israel account, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Francis, who died on Monday aged 88, suggested last November that the global community should study whether Israel's military campaign in Gaza constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people, in some of his most explicit criticism yet of Israel's conduct in its war with Hamas that began in Oct. 2023.
In January the pope also called the humanitarian situation in Gaza "shameful", prompting criticism from Rome's chief Jewish rabbi who accused Francis of "selective indignation".
Israel says accusations of genocide in its Gaza campaign are baseless and that it is solely hunting down Hamas and other armed groups.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who leads a far-right coalition of religious and nationalist parties, has not commented on the pope's death.
However, Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday sent a message of condolence to Christians in the Holy Land and around the world, describing Francis as "a man of deep faith and boundless compassion".
Relations between the Catholic Church and Judaism have improved in recent decades, after centuries of animosity.
Pope Francis was usually careful during his 12-year pontificate about taking sides in conflicts, and he condemned the growth of antisemitic groups, while also speaking by phone with Gaza's tiny Christian community every evening during the war.
Francis in 2014 visited the Western Wall - the most sacred prayer site in Judaism - and also prayed at a section of a wall built by Israel in the occupied West Bank dividing Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
© Thomson Reuters 2025.
19 Comments
Tamarama
So petty.
So thin skinned.
GuruMick
The Pope said you cannot fight terror with terror.....pretty accurate.
Pope saw the situation in Gaza before the war and expressed sympathy and hope.
These are the words of any person with a conscience.
As I noted yesterday, Israel has become increasingly isolated from the world, with a self referential and circular attitude. Everything in the world has to be seen through Israel and Jewish glasses.
Less politely, it can be seen as a religious supremacy and chauvinism of the worst kind.
Readers comments at the end of news stories in Times of Isreal confirm my observations.
Not a people with empathy for any outside group, even reaching the level of contempt.
And always underpinned by a egotistical righteousness of their cause.
Capuchin
Pope Francis reportedly made regular calls to the Christian communities in Gaza to check on their safety.
Of course Netanyahu and his government of right wing extremists did find the time to eulogize an infamous homophobic, terrorist supporting Rabbi.
"Netanyahu and other coalition leaders eulogize Meir Mazuz, who blamed COVID-19 and Meron disaster on homosexuality,
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also eulogized Mazuz on X, writing: “I had the privilege of meeting and speaking with Rabbi Mazuz, and I was always impressed with his intelligence, wisdom and humility.”
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.timesofisrael.com/prominent-haredi-rabbi-known-for-homophobic-remarks-far-right-politics-dies-at-80/amp/
WoodyLee
"" The Jerusalem Post quoted officials at the foreign ministry as saying that the pope had made "statements against Israel" and that the social media post had been published in "error". ""
WOW, Even the Dead get's punished for Stating The TRUTH.
This Israeli government has gotten so LOW far beyond comprehension.
wallace
There are very small Christian communities in Gaza. About 1,000 people.
WoodyLee
This Israeli government also cancelled and prevented the annual Easter Parades in the city of Bethlehem Palestine early this week.
Aly Rustom
Israel says accusations of genocide in its Gaza campaign are baseless and that it is solely hunting down Hamas and other armed groups.
Still peddling that horse manure.
WoodyLee
""Francis, who died on Monday aged 88, suggested last November that the global community should study whether Israel's military campaign in Gaza constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people, in some of his most explicit criticism yet of Israel's conduct in its war with Hamas that began in Oct. 2023.""
RIP Sir, so glad you spoke and advocated the TRUTH.
NB
This is a distortion. Due to the difficult exceptional circumstances and the severe situation during wartime, it has been decided to cancel all activities and celebrations of the traditional Easter holiday this year, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Bethlehem announced on Monday.
ThePunisher
What sort of mean-spitited nation would delete a condolence post for the Pope - generally recognised by most religions as an advocate of peace?
Shows just why Israel is so despised, and has no future.
Aly Rustom
for sure.
absolutely.
theFu
A Pope is never allowed to agree with any violence. Never. Doesn't matter why or who.
NB
In May 2014, Francis visited Israel and the Palestinian territories. Francis offered symbolic gestures to both sides in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. In addition to visiting the Western Wall, Yad Vashem, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, he became the first pope to visit the grave of Theodor Herzl, entered the West Bank from Jordan rather than Israel, and invited Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli president Shimon Peres to a prayer summit at the Vatican—both accepted. He also visited Bethlehem, where he gave a speech alongside Abbas, and celebrated Mass at the Church of the Nativity. At the invitation of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he visited the Victims of Acts of Terror Memorial; at the invitation of Palestinian authorities, he prayed at a portion of the Israeli West Bank barrier. In addition to meetings with Peres and Netanyahu, Francis met Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, Chief Rabbis Yitzhak Yosef and David Lau, and Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Places Shmuel Rabinowitz. In May 2015, Francis welcomed Abbas to the Vatican and said that: "The angel of peace destroys the evil spirit of war. I thought about you: may you be an angel of peace."
GuruMick
NB....I read the comments on Times of Israel reporting on Popes death.
Comments like we make here.
Many nasty comments, accusing Pope of supporting Hamas, another hoping he will go to hell.
8 out of 10 comments just nasty.
Todays Israelis', protected 150% by US, is a smug, self satisfied nation where any self reflection is absent.
But all is not lost....there is a growing undercurrent of Israeli who want Netanyahu out and a large grouping who want 2 state solution and peace.
The war mongers in charge are running Israel at present.
NB
Todays Israelis ---- is a smug, self satisfied nation
Today Israel is a nation stricken by disaster and immersed in pain, which struggles for its survival. The Palestinian Arabs are stricken by an even greater disaster. Both nations suffer due to a redundant conflict, when they could have coexisted and prospered side by side.
u_s__reamer
The insulting attitude of the Israeli government towards the deceased Pope will come as no surprise. Not only Christians who read their Bible ("You will know them by their fruits...") now know the Israelis by their bloody deeds and their shameless self-condemnatory words that do not disguise their long-held intention to rob the Palestinians of their land.
NB
The Jews do not rob the Arabs from "their land". Both nations have roots in the land (the Jewish roots are much deeper and more ancient, but this does not matter). There is room in the land for both nations.
RichardPearce
NB, there are a lot of Jews who protest against the Israeli regime's violations of both the ICSPCA and CPPCG, the Geneva Conventions, and every modern Jewish value.
PS, seeing as Jesus was born in a place the rulers and population had a name for. In modern english, that name is Palestine. So your attempt to justify the removal of the historic population of Palestine with the claims that people who called it Palestine lived there in Biblical times seems hilarious.
NB
The name of the pertinent little strip of land is "Palestine" or "Eretz Yisrael" or whatever. Call it as you wish. The name "Palestine" was given by the Roman Empire after they queled the Jewish rebelion, long before the Arabs came in the 7th century AD. Jesus was a Jewish prophet (even Islam considers him a prophet, not as god) in a Jewish land occupied by the Roman Empire.