Following harsh statements made by Pope Francis against Israel in the past week, and under the directive of Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Foreign Ministry Director General Eyal Bar-Tal summoned the Vatican's ambassador to Israel, Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, for a meeting. The meeting, held on Tuesday at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem during the approach of the Christmas holiday, was not classified as a reprimand. However, Bar-Tal expressed Israel’s strong displeasure with the Pope’s comments.
In response to the pope’s remarks, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein issued a rare and strongly worded statement, saying: “Cruelty is when terrorists hide behind children while trying to kill Israeli children. Cruelty is holding 100 hostages for 442 days, including infants and children, and abusing them,” Marmorstein wrote in Israel’s official response.
“Unfortunately, the pope chose to ignore all of this, as well as the fact that Israel’s actions were directed at terrorists who used children as human shields. The pope’s comments are particularly disappointing, as they are disconnected from the real and factual context of Israel’s fight against jihadist terrorism – a multi-front war imposed on Israel since October 7.”
Israeli activist Maoz Yanon meets Pope Francis
(Video: usccb.org)
On Saturday, Pope Francis accused Israel in a sermon to Vatican officials of spraying Palestinian children in Gaza with machine guns and bombing schools and hospitals. “With great pain, I think of Gaza, of so much cruelty, of children sprayed with machine guns, of the bombings of schools and hospitals. Such cruelty,” the Pope said. On the following day, he escalated his tone, repeating in his weekly Mass that Israel is cruelly spraying children with machine guns.
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Israel issued a sharp condemnation a day after the pope criticized the country for an airstrike in Gaza that killed seven children from a single family. “Yesterday, children were bombed. This is cruelty, not war,” the Pope said.
Israeli officials claim that the pope’s remarks have caused significant damage to Israel’s image in the Christian world and accuse the Vatican of applying double standards and singling out the Jewish state for criticism.
On Monday, Ynet first reported that Israeli President Isaac Herzog may visit the Vatican in light of the Pope’s escalating remarks. Advanced negotiations are currently underway to coordinate the president’s visit. During the visit, Herzog is expected to meet with the pope, who has already extended an invitation.