Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has withdrawn from attending the inauguration ceremony of the new Pope due to concerns over the possibility of an international arrest warrant being executed against him.

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported:
"During preliminary checks, contacts were made with Italy and the Vatican to verify whether Netanyahu would be allowed to attend without being arrested. However, the responses received were unsatisfactory, and it remained unclear whether the arrest warrants would be enforced."

On November 21, 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for both Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the assault on Gaza.