Israel sending lower level representation to Pope Francis funeral

Most major nations will be sending heads of state or government, or royalty, to Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday, but Israel will be represented only by its ambassador to the Vatican.

The decision to keep the representation at about the lowest level possible is a sign of how far Israel's relations with the Vatican have deteriorated since the start of the war in Gaza in 2023, diplomats said.

It also follows an Israeli government decision to delete a social media post that had offered condolences for the pope's death.

- Reporting by Reuters