‘Man of boundless compassion’: Leaders in Israel, Mideast mourn death of Pope Francis
Condolences offered by Herzog, PA’s Abbas, Hamas leaders, Lebanon, Iran and European Jewish leaders, who all hail his commitment to peace and interfaith dialogue
After the Catholic Church announced the death of Pope Francis on Monday morning, messages of mourning and condolences started flowing in from across the world, including from Israel, global Jewish leaders and political figures from across the Middle East.
Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88, a day after marking Easter Sunday at the Vatican. He had recently spent over a month in the hospital with complications from pneumonia.
While the pope was always vocal against antisemitism, had visited Israel and had made the first pilgrimage by a pope to the tomb of Zionist visionary Theodor Herzl, his statements against Israel and its war against Hamas in Gaza led to a sometimes contentious relationship with world Jewry and the Jewish state.
Despite this recent antagonism, President Isaac Herzog offered his condolences to Christians around the globe and in Israel “on the loss of their great spiritual father, His Holiness Pope Francis.”
In a statement, Herzog called Francis “a man of deep faith and boundless compassion,” and praised his dedication to the poor and to the cause of peace.
“He rightly saw great importance in fostering strong ties with the Jewish world and in advancing interfaith dialogue as a path toward greater understanding and mutual respect,” said Herzog, despite growing frustration among Jewish leaders over the pope’s statements on Israel and his use of problematic New Testament verses.
“I truly hope that his prayers for peace in the Middle East and for the safe return of the hostages will soon be answered,” Herzog said. “May his memory continue to inspire acts of kindness, unity, and hope.”
The European Jewish Congress also issued a statement mourning the late pontiff, sending condolences to Catholics in Europe and around the world.
“Pope Francis was a steadfast advocate for interfaith dialogue and mutual respect between religions,” the representative organization of European Jewry said in a statement. “His unwavering commitment to combating antisemitism and fostering a spirit of brotherhood between Christians and Jews will be remembered with gratitude and admiration.”
“We have fond and enduring memories of our audiences with the late Pope and his deep commitment to fostering dialogue with Jewish communities and fierce opposition to antisemitism,” added EJC Vice-President Raya Kalenova.
Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis (CER) who met with the pope several times, recalled “Francis’s unwavering dedication to promoting peace and goodwill worldwide.” The rabbi also praised the pope’s efforts to strengthen Catholic-Jewish relations.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called the late pontiff a “faithful friend of the Palestinian people,” the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
“Today, we lost a faithful friend of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights,” Abbas said, noting that Pope Francis “recognized the Palestinian state and authorized the Palestinian flag to be raised in the Vatican.”
Hamas also issued a statement of condolence, with Bassem Naim, a senior official in the terror group, hailing the pope’s opposition to the 18-month-long war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
“Pope Francis was a steadfast advocate for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, particularly in his unwavering stance against the war and acts of genocide perpetrated against our people in Gaza in recent months,” Naim said in a statement.
Francis spoke of the war in Gaza a day before he died. He said a “growing climate of antisemitism around the world is worrisome,” while also condemning the “deplorable humanitarian situation” in Gaza and reiterating his call for a ceasefire.
In a statement paying tribute to Francis, Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit said his “voice in condemning Israeli brutality was loud and clear until the very last moment.”
Aboul Gheit said Francis’s “compass on the Palestinian issue always pointed in the right direction,” and recalled “his daily communication with the residents of Gaza as they endured brutal Israeli aggression and bombardment, through hundreds of direct calls over the past months.”
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun called Francis a “dear friend and strong supporter” of his country, adding, “We will never forget his repeated calls to protect Lebanon and preserve its identity and diversity.”
Aoun — the Arab world’s only Christian president — said in a statement on the presidency’s X account that Francis’s death was “a loss for all humanity, for he was a powerful voice for justice and peace” and had called for “dialogue between religions and cultures.”
Iran also issued a statement of mourning, with Tehran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei saying in a press briefing: “My colleagues have just informed me of the news… I offer my condolences to all Christians around the world.”
Francis will go down in history as a radical pontiff, a champion of underdogs who forged a more compassionate Catholic Church while stopping short of overhauling centuries-old dogma.
His death sets in motion a series of carefully orchestrated rites and rituals well before the conclave to elect his successor begins. They involve the certification of death and public display of his body for the faithful to pay their respects, followed by the funeral and burial.
Lazar Berman, Zev Stub and Rossella Tercatin contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.