A deleted condolence after pope’s death revealed tension between Israel and the Vatican

Israel's response to Pope Francis's death reveals tensions over criticism of conduct during Gaza war.

Hours after Pope Francis’s death was announced, Israel’s Foreign Ministry posted a short message on X: “Rest in peace, Pope Francis. May his memory be a blessing.” Several hours later, it was deleted without explanation.

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Coming at a time of effusive global mourning over Pope Francis’s death, the decision to delete the post appeared to reflect the tensions that have emerged between Israel and the Vatican over Pope Francis’s frequent criticism of Israel’s conduct during the war in Gaza. The Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the deletion.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is usually quick to issue statements on the passing of major international figures. It took him four days to issue a terse, 28-word statement on the official Prime Minister account, and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has been silent. The only immediate official condolences came from Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, who holds a largely ceremonial role and who praised Pope Francis for being “a man of deep faith and boundless compassion.”

For most of Pope Francis’s papacy, ties between Israel and the Vatican steadily improved — highlighted by a visit to the Holy Land in 2014. But everything changed after the war in Gaza erupted with Hamas’s deadly attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

While expressing sympathy for Israeli victims and hostages, Pope Francis has suggested Israel’s subsequent attacks in Gaza and Lebanon were “immoral” and disproportionate. He also called for an investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute genocide, a charge Israel denies while investigations at the U.N.’s top courts proceed.

“Pope Francis condemned what happened on October 7, but he was clear also that what happened on October 7 does not justify what has been happening since October 7,” said Wadie Abunassar, who heads a group that represents Christians in Israel and the Palestinian territories. Pope Francis was like a friend who tells the truth, even if that’s not exactly what you want to hear, Mr. Abunassar said.