Israel Offers Security Plan After Christian Outrage Over Closing of Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday

Israeli officials are trying to sort out a security plan for the top Catholic leaders at Jerusalem after they were denied entry from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday over security concerns tied to the war with Iran.Italy’s foreign minister had summoned Israel’s ambassador to explain why Israeli police prevented the head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and the guardian of the church, Most Reverend Fr. Francesco Ielpo, from leading services at the church to mark the start of the Christian Holy Week.“There was no malicious intent whatsoever, only concern for his safety and that of his party,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement referencing the cardinal. “However, given the holiness of the week leading up to Easter for the world’s Christians, Israel’s security arms are putting together a plan to enable church leaders to worship at the holy site in the coming days.After being denied entry to the church, the patriarchate issued a statement blasting the Israeli security forces for its decision, calling it “manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure.” “This incident is a grave precedent, and disregards the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who, during this week, look to Jerusalem,” the patriarchate said in a news release.According to the Patriarchate, this is the first time in centuries that the heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass at the site, considered one of the holiest Christian sites in the world.Israeli officials said they stopped the annual Palm Sunday procession because of temporary Israeli military rules limiting crowd sizes in the name of security. Jerusalem’s major holy sites, including the Western Wall and the al-Aqsa Mosque, are all shuttered temporarily due to safety concerns as Iran targets the city in response to the joint United States-Israeli conflict.Jerusalem has come under repeated attacks in recent weeks. In one incident, debris from an intercepted Iranian missile hit the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. Missile debris also hit a road that leads to the Western Wall.“Over the past several days, Iran has repeatedly targeted the holy sites of all three monotheistic religions in Jerusalem with ballistic missiles,” the prime minister’s office said. “As a result, Israel has temporarily asked worshippers from all faiths not to worship at the holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City to protect them.”However, the patriarchate said while it has “acted with full responsibility” by limiting public gatherings and prohibiting attendance, it had sought to broadcast the celebrations without an in-person audience “to hundreds of millions of faithful worldwide, who, during these days of Easter, turn their eyes to Jerusalem and to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.”Israel’s Foreign Ministry said it would meet with church officials later in the day in order to find ways to normalize the holy week leading to Easter celebration. But the incident sparked criticism from many. The American ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, called the situation an “unfortunate overreach” by Israeli police.“For the Patriarch to be barred from entry to the Church on Palm Sunday for a private ceremony is difficult to understand or justify,” Mr. Huckabee wrote in an X post.The refusal to permit entry to the church is “an offense to the faithful,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a statement.President Emmanuel Macron of France offered his “full support” for the Latin Patriarch.“I condemn this decision by the Israeli police, which adds to the alarming proliferation of violations of the status quo of Jerusalem’s Holy Sites,” Mr. Macron said in an X post. “The free exercise of worship in Jerusalem must be guaranteed for all religions.”Pope Leo XIV prayed for Christians in the Middle East during a mass in St. Peter’s Square on Palm Sunday.“Jesus is the King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” the pope told the crowd that number in the tens of thousands. “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.”

Israel Offers Security Plan After Christian Outrage Over Closing of Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday

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