Sources told the Hebrew-language website Ynet on Friday that Netanyahu had wanted to attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, but decided against it an
d "not take the risk." The Prime Minister's Office canceled the trip.
The newspaper said: "During preliminary investigations, contacts were made with Italy and the Vatican to determine whether Netanyahu would be allowed to attend without being arrested. However, the responses received were unsatisfactory, and it was unclear whether they would implement the arrest warrants."
For its part, the Vatican announced that the inauguration ceremony of Pope Leo XIV will be officially held during a mass tomorrow, Sunday, and that the new pontiff will deliver his first public address on the 21st of this month.
On November 21, 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the aggression on Gaza.
With American support, Israel has been committing genocidal crimes in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving approximately 173,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing.
