Britain’s foreign office yanked Friday a blog posted by its ambassador to Lebanon that mourned the death of an “admired” Shiite cleric once considered Hezbollah’s spiritual leader.

Frances Guy wrote that she left the presence of Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, who died Sunday, feeling a better person.

“Lebanon is a lesser place the day after, but his absence will be felt well beyond Lebanon’s shores,” she said. “The world needs more men like him, willing to reach out across faiths.”

The comments about Fadlallah, once closely associated with Hezbollah, ruffled diplomatic feathers. Israel, especially, was not happy.