Israeli Christian group: Israel’s response to pope’s death sends ‘message of exclusion’
Forum of Holy Land Christians demands Jerusalem send higher-level representative to pontiff’s funeral, wants probe of cops who scuffled with worshipers at recent Holy Fire ceremony
A Christian civil society group in Israel assailed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s initial “outrageous” failure to express condolences to Catholics in the Holy Land after the death of Pope Francis, and demanded Israel send higher-level representatives to the pontiff’s funeral Saturday.
In a letter dated Wednesday but circulated on Friday, Wadie Abunassar, coordinator of the Forum of Holy Land Christians, also demanded a probe of police conduct in a scuffle with worshipers at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre last week, and acknowledgment of “the contribution of Christian entities to the state.”
“Silencing mourning for a global Christian leader sends a message of exclusion and abandonment,” wrote Abunassar, adding that Israel’s conduct was a “grave affront not only to the Christian citizens of Israel but also to Christians worldwide, if not also to the entire humanity.”
Abunassar, who has met with Francis and served as an adviser to Catholic leaders in Israel, said he was writing “on behalf of hundreds of Christian citizens of Israel,” including “clerics and laity who work for empowering the Christian presence in the Holy Land” under the Forum’s aegis.
“Christians in Israel are loyal and integral citizens, who empower the Israeli society across all sectors,” wrote Abunassar. “Their contributions to the prosperity, innovation, and resilience of the Israeli society are profound and enduring.”
Netanyahu on Thursday — a day after the letter was dated — issued a brief statement of condolence for the passing of Francis, whose criticism of the war in Gaza put a strain on Israel’s ties to the Vatican. The statement came after days of silence that saw Israel’s Foreign Ministry post and then delete a message of mourning soon after the pope’s death.
The ministry also directed Israeli ambassadors abroad to delete condolences they had already published, eliciting outrage from the envoys, Hebrew media reported.
Writing to Netanyahu, Abunassar demanded that the premier issue a “clear message of mourning” and send a senior official to the pope’s funeral on Saturday. Israel is set to be represented by its ambassador to the Vatican — a downgrade since the last funeral of a sitting pope, in 2005, when Israel was represented by its then-president and foreign minister.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein has said the low-level representation was not indicative of any tensions with the Vatican, but rather stemmed in part from scheduling conflicts related to the funeral taking place on the Jewish Sabbath, which requires Israeli politicians to stay within walking distance of the event.
Abunassar charged that Israel’s response to Francis’s death was “particularly outrageous in light of the painful and growing challenges facing Christians living in Israel,” which the activist said included “dwindling subsidies to Christian schools.”
Abunassar said the insult was all the worse since it came after a conflict at the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem on Saturday, where police “blocked, restricted and assaulted” worshipers who had “gathered peacefully to await the Holy Fire — the holiest moment of the Orthodox Christian calendar, announcing the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
Israeli police attacked Christian worshippers celebrating Easter at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in occupied East Jerusalem – the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried. pic.twitter.com/1iysnaq8Qf
— AJ+ (@ajplus) April 24, 2025
Images of the confrontation “have shocked Christian communities around the world and left a deep wound in the hearts of Israeli Christians,” said Abunassar.
“These actions… symbolize a growing disregard for the Christian presence in Israel and would have negative impacts on Israel’s image and status worldwide,” he added.
“We remain committed to building an Israeli society, in which all citizens work for the common good on the basis of mutual respect,” said Abunassar. “It is time for the government to show that it is equally committed to preserving and honoring the Christian community of this land and the sacred values we uphold.”
Pope Francis had infuriated Jerusalem toward the end of his life by assailing Israel’s “cruelty” in the Gaza war, which was sparked when thousands of Hamas-led terrorists stormed southern Israel to kill some 1,200 people and take 251 hostages.
Many of the pope’s statements left Jews and Israelis feeling confused at times, and under attack at others.
In a November 2023 call with President Isaac Herzog, Francis reportedly said it was “forbidden to respond to terror with terror,” a reference to Israel’s military campaign to destroy Hamas in Gaza, remove it from power, and secure the release of the hostages.
Israel is home to about 180,000 Christians, most of whom live in the country’s north, according to the 2024 year-end report by the Central Bureau of Statistics, which did not specify the Christians’ breakdown by denomination.
A report last year said there had been a “notable increase” in attacks against Christians and their property in 2023.
Israeli authorities have been unable or unwilling to put an end to the phenomenon, said the Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue’s report, titled “Attacks on Christians in Israel and East Jerusalem.”
The NGO attributed the rise to “the broader socio-political climate.”
The Times of Israel Community.