The Israeli government’s decision to retract an official social media message mourning the death of Pope Francis has ignited controversy, drawing criticism from diplomats and observers worldwide and casting a spotlight on strained relations between Israel and the Vatican. Pope Francis passed away on Monday, April 21, at the age of 88.

Shortly after the Pope’s death, the verified @Israel account on X (formerly Twitter), associated with the Foreign Ministry, posted: “Rest in Peace, Pope Francis. May his memory be a blessing.” The message included an image of the Pope at Jerusalem’s Western Wall from a 2014 visit. Hours later, the post was deleted. Subsequently, Israeli diplomatic missions globally were reportedly instructed to remove similar condolence messages and refrain from signing condolence books at Vatican embassies.

Israeli Foreign Ministry officials characterized the initial posting as an “error” or “mistake.” An unnamed official later elaborated to JNS, stating, “The issues we had with the late pope, of blessed memory, we are not going to air out after his passing,” adding that Israel’s response to the Pope’s criticisms occurred during his lifetime. However, the deletion is widely seen as a reaction to Pope Francis’s vocal criticism of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The late pontiff had repeatedly called for ceasefires, expressed solidarity with Gazans by maintaining phone contact with the local Catholic community, and described the humanitarian situation as “deplorable” and “shameful.” He reportedly used strong language, including potentially suggesting Israeli actions had “characteristics of a genocide” in remarks last November, though the precise wording was later disputed by the Vatican.

The deletion prompted significant backlash. Israeli diplomats expressed anger and frustration internally, warning the move damaged Israel’s reputation, particularly in Catholic countries. One diplomat reportedly stated the deletion was clearly due to the Pope’s Gaza criticism. “Not only did we not say words of condolence, but we chose to erase them – and that looks bad,” said another. “Very bad.” Israeli President Herzog issued a separate, formal condolence message calling Pope Francis “a man of deep faith and boundless compassion.” The unnamed Israeli official cited by JNS referred to Herzog’s statement as “the definitive reaction.” In contrast, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister remained notably silent on the Pope’s passing in the immediate aftermath.

Israeli opposition figures also criticized the move. MK Gilad Kariv visited Jerusalem’s Latin Patriarchate to offer condolences “on behalf of the vast majority of Israeli citizens,” calling the government’s lack of an official message “disrespectful,” “foolishness and rudeness.” Former officials voiced differing opinions. Raphael Schutz, former Israeli ambassador to the Vatican, called the deletion a “mistake.” Conversely, Dror Eydar, former ambassador to Italy, urged Israel to snub the funeral, accusing the late Pope of fueling antisemitism with his Gaza remarks. Internationally, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia condemned the deletion as “pure madness.”

The incident highlights severely strained Israel-Vatican relations since the Gaza war began in October 2023. Disagreements over the Pope’s statements and actions had led to diplomatic tensions. Reflecting this, Israel will be represented at Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday, April 26, only by its current ambassador to the Vatican, Yaron Sideman. This is considered a low level of representation compared to the heads of state and royalty attending from other nations, and contrasts with the presidential delegation sent for Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005.

The controversy surrounding the deleted condolence underscores the deep sensitivities and diplomatic complexities surrounding the Gaza conflict and international criticism of Israeli policy.