The Pope’s philo-semitic credentials are pretty bulletproof, so this can only be a case of his refusing to be manipulated by Bibi in the latter’s bid to gin up a war with Iran. I don’t Francis for refusing to sign on for a new middle eastern war, but IMHO he should have taken the meeting and told Bibi to his face. Couldn’t have hurt.
Don’t know how it was announced that the meeting was a done deal. Somebody screwed up.
Just why exactly would Netanyahu need the Vatican’s support for a war with Iran, which, frankly, is a war that the US should have fought and won already?