Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his condolences to Pope Francis, four days after his death.
A more condolence proposal, published on social media by Israel's official state story, was deleted before, which led to a significant dispute in the country.
Israel also sends a relatively low -level delegation to the late Pontif funeral on Saturday, with only the Vatican Ambassador attending the country.
All this was seen in Israel and elsewhere as a sign of the Israeli government's dissatisfaction with Pope Francis' fearless remarks about the war in Gaza.
Displayed and somewhat impersonal, the Israeli Prime Minister's office has issued a proposal for two convictions of condolences on Thursday night.
He reads: “The State of Israel expresses its deepest condolences to the Catholic Church and the Catholic community all over the world in the passage of Pope Francis. Let it rest in peace.”
The tone of the original message, twisted by a @israel account check on X on the day of the Pope's death, was noticeably warmer.
There was a photo of Pope Francis on the west wall in Jerusalem and concluded, “Let his memory be a blessing.”
But it was quickly withdrawn, without explanation.
Several Israeli media reported that it had been deleted, such as the Jerusalem publication, citing officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that it was published in a “mistake”.
Jerusalem's post also cites former Israeli ambassador to Vatican Rafael Shutz, describing the decision to delete the published statement as a mistake.
In the light of such criticism, Israeli officials said that the current ambassador of the country to the Vatican had personally offered his condolences.
And it is the Ambassador Yaron Sidman that will represent Israel at the funeral of Pope Francis.
This is in a pronounced contrast with state or government leaders who will be present by most major nations, including US President Donald Trump.
In addition, it is very different from the funeral of the last pope to die while still in the service of John Paul II in 2005. Israel sent then President Moshe Moshe and then minister of Silvan Shalom to attend the ceremony.
The current Israeli President Isaac The Duke publishes an eloquent and cordial respect for Pope Francis in the hours after his death, describing him as a man of deep faith and infinite compassion.
But there seems to be no plans to attend the funeral. There is no reason, although it may have anything to do with the funeral that is being held on Shabbat, the Jewish Saturday.
But it seems clear that the resentment of the Israeli government on Pope Francis' expression for solidarity with the Palestinians, especially during the Gaza war, raised his reaction to his death.
Last November, Pope Francis suggested that the international community should investigate whether Israel's military offensive in Gaza should be classified as a genocide – an claim that Israel has categorically denied.
Earlier this year, he called the humanitarian situation in Gaza “shameful”.
At his last public address on Easter Sunday – the day before his death – Gaza was mentioned once again. His address speaks of the suffering of both the Palestinians and the Israelis.
After his death, more details appeared on how Pope Francis would be in contact almost every day with the small Christian community sheltered in a church in Gaza during the war.
The Palestinians spoke warmly about how much his expressions have given them hope.
As a sign of how much the Pope respected, the Palestinian power sent Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa to the funeral.
All this meant that some in Israel, especially among the coalition of religious and nationalist parties, which strengthen the coalition of Netanyahu, believe that Pope Francis took the Palestinian country, despite his expressions of sympathy for Israelis and his efforts to strengthen the multilateral dialogue.
This sense of gap between the present Israeli government and the Vatican can be seen at the Pope's funeral in Rome, where Israel's leaders will be noticeable of their absence.