Israel Reverses Ban on Cardinal Entering Holy Sepulchre After Palm Sunday Blockade

Israeli police prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Friar Francesco Ielpo from accessing the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday, citing security risks tied to the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran. The church, revered by Christians as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, saw no Palm Sunday Mass from church leaders for the first time in centuries.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intervened swiftly after the ban drew international condemnation. He announced on social media that authorities would grant the cardinal full access for the rest of Holy Week, acknowledging the safety concerns but prioritizing religious services.

Police justified closures across Jerusalem’s Old City holy sites—sacred to Christians, Muslims, and Jews—due to the lack of bomb shelters and challenges for emergency access. This has curtailed traditional observances of Easter, Ramadan, and Passover, leaving sites like Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Western Wall unusually quiet.

World leaders reacted strongly: Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni criticized the move, France’s President Emmanuel Macron decried violations of holy sites’ status, and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee called it unjustifiable. Pope Leo had earlier condemned war-making leaders.

Local residents and officials pointed to uneven enforcement, noting Muslim preachers accessed Al-Aqsa during Ramadan and preparations occurred at the Western Wall, while some Franciscan friars held services nearby on Palm Sunday.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)