Israelis and Palestinians React to the Death of Pope Francis

During his papacy, Francis did not shy away from controversial comments on world affairs. Last November he insisted that “[what] is happening in Gaza is not war, but terrorism, brutality and injustice. [...] What is happening in Gaza bears the hallmarks of genocide.”

On the hypothesis that Israeli and Palestinian media—both news outlets and discourse on social media platforms—would cover Pope Francis’s death differently thanks to statements like this, FilterLabs analyzed recent online sentiment in Israel, the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Jordan (this last being included because its online discourse makes up a significant part of the Palestinian information environment).

Here are the main narratives we found.

In Israel:

Traditional coverage, with a side of intrigue. Much of the Israeli media simply reported on Francis’s funeral. There was special interest, however, in who was wearing what, and in the side conversation between Presidents Trump and Zelensky.
An ambivalent legacy. Social media users and journalists alike are split over how much respect Pope Francis and his legacy deserve. An op-ed in Haaretz criticized the Israeli government for sending only the minimum required delegation, while another opinion piece accused Francis of speaking “out against the Jewish state … Our enemies around the world were encouraged by his constant words—especially the Shiite axis led by Iran.”

In Palestine:

A Pope for the poor. Palestinian and Jordanian news media painted the late Pope in largely neutral to positive tones, highlighting his role as a reformer, his calls to end the war in Gaza, and his support for marginalized communities. One headline read: “A grand funeral for the ‘Pope of the Poor.’”
Social media was respectful, mostly. Most social media commenters were respectful, with many calling for tolerance across religious differences or offering condolences. “May God have mercy on him with the angels and the righteous saints. He was a man of peace,” was a sentiment echoed many, many times. The rare anti-Christian statement was quickly shouted down.

The world is waiting for the conclave to begin. (Fun exercise: type “when will” into your Google search bar and see what comes up. Spoiler: it’s May 7th.) Rest assured that Israelis and Palestinians will be watching closely.

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