Israel Had Uploaded Condolences For Pope Francis' Death, But Was Then Removed

Photo of Pope Francis in St. Maria Mayor's Basilica in Rome, Italy. (Source: ANSA via Vatican News)

JAKARTA - The Israeli government distributed then deleted social media posts containing condolences for Pope Francis' death, without mentioning the reason, while the Israeli newspaper linked the decision to criticism of the late Pope of the war in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.

Verified @Israel accounts have uploaded a message Monday on social media platform X that reads: "Rest in peace, Pope Francis. May his memories be a blessing", alongside a picture of the Pope visiting the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem Post quoted officials at the foreign ministry as saying the Pope had made "statements against Israel" and the social media posts had been published due to "mistakes".

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which according to social media platform X on its website is linked to a verified @Israeli account, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Pope Francis, who died on Monday at the age of 88, suggested that the global community learn whether Israel's military campaign in Gaza was genocide against the Palestinian people in November last year, in some of its most clear criticisms so far of Israel's behavior in its war with Hamas which began in October 2023.

In January, the Pope also called the humanitarian situation in Gaza "embarrasing", sparking criticism from the head of the Roman Jewish camp which accused Pope Francis of having "selective anger".

Meanwhile, Israel said allegations of genocide in its campaign in Gaza were baseless, that it was only hunting down Hamas and other armed groups.

Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who leads the 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 condolences to people in the Holy Land and around the world, describing Pope Francis as "a man of deep faith and infinite affection".

Pope Francis has usually been cautious during his 12-year papal period of favoritism in conflict, and he condemned the growth of antisemites, while also speaking by telephone with the small Christian community in Gaza every night during the war.

Pope Francis in 2014 visited the Western Wall - the holiest place of prayer inTENTION - and also prayed on the part of the wall built by Israel in the occupied West Bank that separates Jerusalem and Bethlehem.