Israeli official: We’re not downplaying Pope’s death
An Israeli official pushed back on Wednesday against claims that Israel was muting its reaction to the death of Pope Francis last week.
Yad Vashem chairman Dani Dayan meets Pope Francis in the Vatican Photo: Vatican Media
The official, who spoke to JNS on condition of anonymity citing diplomatic protocol, noted the statement by Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Francis’ death on Monday at the age of 88, adding that Herzog “is the official head of state, and his statement on the matter is the definitive reaction.”
The claims followed the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs decision to convey its condolences on X and then delete that tweet hours later.
“Rest in peace, Pope Francis. May his memory be a blessing,” read the deleted tweet, which contained a translation of the Hebrew-language standard phrase for a kind commemoration of a deceased person, akin to “Rest in Peace” in English.
The deletion prompted speculation that it was over Pope Francis’s criticisms of Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza, including his remarks in November in which he repeated allegations that “what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide.”
Others claimed that Haredi parties in the coalition of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exerted political pressure to have the tweets removed.
The official told JNS that the latter claim was “nonsense.”
“The issues we had with the late pope, of blessed memory, we are not going to air out after his passing, and it didn’t prevent an Israeli acknowledgment at the highest levels of his passing,” the official said, referencing Herzog’s statement.
Herzog spoke in glowing terms about Pope Francis in his statement, calling him “a man of deep faith and boundless compassion,” and praised his dedication to the poor and to the cause of peace.
“He rightly saw great importance in fostering strong ties with the Jewish world and in advancing interfaith dialogue as a path toward greater understanding and mutual respect,” wrote Herzog.
Asked why the ministry deleted the tweet, the official said: “Posting the tweet was an internal mistake. I don’t want to get into a discussion in the media about the sort of considerations that go into the official response to world events, it’s the stuff of diplomacy and protocol. But the response to Pope Francis’ death has been full, dignified and comprehensive.”
Representing Israel at the funeral, which is scheduled to take place on April 26, will be Israel’s ambassador to the Vatican, the official said.
Other countries will be sending their political leaders as well as their heads of state to the funeral, including the United Kingdom with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles, respectively. U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will also be attending, Reuters reported, along with President Emmanuel Macron of France and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier as well as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Belgium will be represented by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde as well as Prime Minister Bart De Wever, whereas the Netherlands will send only its prime minister, Dick Schoof.
Unlike all of those leaders and many others, Netanyahu did not express any reaction to the pope’s death. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has also remained silent on the pope’s passing.
Netanyahu has a warrant out for his arrest by the International Criminal Court that many European Union countries have pledged to honour, limiting his ability to travel in Europe.
Asked to explain what appears like a different official response to the pope’s death on Israel’s part compared to many other Western nations, the official merely said that “Israel has paid its respects by its head of state, who expressed the official position full-heartedly and unreservedly.”
Knesset Member Gilad Kariv of the left-wing Democrats Party on Wednesday visited the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to express “condolences over Pope Francis’ passing,” he wrote on X. “The fact that the Israeli government and the Knesset did not yet see fit to officially express condolences is a display of disrespect,” he said, adding that this “foolishness and rudeness” should end.
In Australia and New Zealand, the co-Presidents of the Union for Progressive Judaism Danny Hochberg and Larry Lockshin together with vice-president Ayal Marek and Rabbi Allison Conyer, Chair of the Assembly of Rabbis and Cantors of Australia, New Zealand and Asia penned in a statement: “Pope Francis will be remembered as a spiritual leader who displayed equal measures of courage, vision and humility. He championed social justice and respect for all peoples regardless of background or faith.
