Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has expressed regret on Thursday over the death of Pope Francis four days after the pontiff passed away at the age of 88 at his residence in the Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican.
“The State of Israel expresses its deepest condolences to the Catholic Church and the global Catholic community for the passing of Pope Francis. May he rest in peace,” highlighted the Prime Minister’s office in a brief message on social media.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog did speak out last Monday following the death of Pope Francis, although the Israeli government, which has tense relations with the Holy See because of the war in Gaza, had remained silent until this Thursday.
“A man of deep faith and inexhaustible compassion, he dedicated his life to supporting the poor and advocating for peace in a turbulent world. He rightly considered it essential to foster strong ties with the Jewish world and promote interreligious dialogue as a path towards greater understanding and mutual respect,” highlighted Herzog.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs deleted a message posted on social media on Tuesday lamenting the death of Pope Francis, without offering any explanations, as reported by ‘The Times of Israel’.