Israeli media reported that senior Vatican officials expressed their "pain and disappointment" over the Israeli occupation's stance regarding Pope Francis’ funeral, set to take place on Saturday in Rome.

They described the limited Israeli representation as "an insult to the global Christian community."

According to "Israel’s" Kan Channel, frustration began when the Israeli Foreign Ministry deleted a condolence tweet shortly after posting it. This was followed by a brief and delayed statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and culminated in the decision to send only the Israeli ambassador to the funeral.

Damning letter

An angry letter, reportedly sent on behalf of the Christian community to Netanyahu, criticized the Israeli occupation’s handling of the matter.

The letter condemned the decision by the Israeli Foreign Ministry to prevent Israeli diplomats from issuing mourning statements, calling it "a grave insult to Christians in Israel and around the world, if not to all of humanity," especially considering Pope Francis’ legacy of peace, justice, and interfaith dialogue.

The authors urged the Israeli government to issue a formal condolence and to send a senior official to represent it at the funeral.

It is worth noting that relations between the Vatican and the Israeli occupation have been tense in recent months, particularly after Pope Francis condemned the Israeli attack on Gaza as "shameful" and suggested it be investigated as a possible crime against humanity, drawing strong reactions from the Israeli occupation. 

Moreover, in the extensive obituaries for Pope Francis published by The New York Times and The Washington Post, a notable omission was Pope Francis’s vocal support for the Palestinian people and his deep concern for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, a Mondoweiss analysis highlighted.

In what would be his final public statement, delivered on Easter Sunday just hours before his death, Pope Francis called for a ceasefire in Gaza and condemned the “deplorable humanitarian situation” unfolding there.

In a statement read aloud by an aide, the Pope’s message described the situation in Gaza as “dramatic and deplorable.” He urged all warring parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire. “I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages, and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace,” the statement read.