MK Gilad Kariv at Latin Patriarchate: I’m ashamed of my government for not expressing condolences over Francis

Labor MK Gilad Kariv visits the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to express his condolences over Pope Francis’ passing.

“I’m here in order to express my condolences on behalf of the vast majority of Israeli citizens,” he tells The Times of Israel. “We present our condolences to both the Christian believers that live in Israel and to the hundreds of millions of Catholic Christians around the world.”

Kariv harshly criticizes the government for not doing the same.

“I’m ashamed by the fact that the Israeli government and the Israeli Knesset did not release an official message of condolences,” he adds. “Our president, Isaac Herzog, did it, and I expect, and I demand the prime minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior Affairs, to do the same.”

Kariv highlights how, in his opinion, the vast majority of Israelis appreciated the deep friendship of the late pope with the Jewish people, his commitment to bring back all the hostages and his commitment to establishing “a sustainable peace in the Promised Land.”

Asked about the controversial statements criticizing Israel that Francis made after October 7, Kariv says that it is legitimate to have different opinions.

“I know personally that Pope Francis was a close friend of the Jewish people and the State of Israel, and he was more than allowed to express concern over Gaza,” the MK says. “We know how to embrace the differences in opinions.”