Israel’s cool response to Pope Francis’s death reveals deeper strains

The notables who attended the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday included 12 kings, 52 heads of state, and 14 prime ministers. Even Saudi Arabia and Iran sent ministerial-level delegations.

In sharp contrast, Israel sent no senior officials, choosing instead to be represented by its ambassador to the Vatican, Yaron Sideman — a notable departure from 2005, when President Moshe Katsav and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II.

The muted diplomatic response has been interpreted both in Israel and abroad as reflecting the Israeli government's anger at Pope Francis’s outspoken criticism of its conduct in Gaza..

Another sign of tension emerged immediately following the Pope’s death. Initially, Israel's verified account on X posted a warm tribute, featuring a photo of Pope Francis at the Western Wall and concluding, "May his memory be a blessing." The post was swiftly deleted without explanation, although Jerusalem Post quoted Foreign Ministry officials who claimed the tribute had been published "in error".

On Tuesday the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office issued a terse, two-sentence message of condolence "The State of Israel expresses its deepest condolences to the Catholic Church and the Catholic community worldwide at the passing of Pope Francis. May he rest in peace."

Pope Francis was frequently critical of Israel's military actions, particularly during the war in Gaza. In November 2024, the Pope suggested the international community should consider whether Israel’s actions in Gaza constituted genocide — an accusation Israel vehemently denies. Earlier this year, he described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "shameful." In his final public address on Easter Sunday — the day before his death — Pope Francis again referenced Gaza, calling for compassion towards both Palestinians and Israelis.

Since his death, further accounts have emerged of his daily contact with Gaza’s small Christian community, many of whom were sheltering in churches throughout the conflict. Palestinians have spoken warmly of the hope and solidarity they felt from his messages.

At the same time, the Pope consistently advocated for the hostages taken during the 7 October Hamas attacks. He met with freed hostages and their families, including Rachel Goldberg-Polin, and regularly mentioned the plight of the captives. As early as October 2023, he called for the immediate release of the hostages. After a meeting with hostage families in April 2024, family member Ashley Waxman Bakshi said the Pope had been "very clear about his solidarity for the release of the hostages."

Former Israeli ambassador to the Vatican, Raphael Schutz, harshly criticised Israel’s absence from the funeral. Speaking to Ynetnews, he said "When a leader of this magnitude passes away, you don't deviate from diplomatic protocols. We should discuss disagreements with the Vatican directly — not boycott a funeral attended by world leaders. Our absence creates a negative front with 1.3 billion Catholic Christians." He added "You can disagree with the Pope’s views and still attend his funeral. Diplomacy requires separating personal grievances from protocol. Beyond antagonising the Christian world, Israel also missed an opportunity to engage with other leaders and projected an image of political isolation — hardly desirable in these times."

In a sharply worded editorial, Haaretz similarly condemned the government’s conduct "Israel under Benjamin Netanyahu and his lackeys, such as Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, is quick to feel slighted and quick to preach. Anyone who dares to criticise is labelled 'antisemitic,' while loyalty to Netanyahu’s extremist agenda is demanded both domestically and abroad. Yet respect for a deceased global figure — particularly one who was not Jewish or Israeli — is apparently optional. Insults and slurs are permitted, and dignity denied."

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Israel's muted response to Pope Francis's death signals tensions over Gaza (BBC)

Israel skips Pope Francis funeral, angering officials (Ynetnews)

The entire world attended the Pope's funeral, except Israel's ignoble political leadership (Haaretz, Editorial)

'Close to the families': Late Pope Francis met with freed hostages, families since Oct. 7 (The Jerusalem Post)