Israel faces backlash after church leaders blocked from the Holy Sepulchre

Israeli police prevented senior Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, drawing international condemnation and prompting Italy to summon Israel’s ambassador in Rome for talks. Israeli police said the move was made due to wartime security restrictions and concerns for public safety.

According to a joint statement by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Custos Father Francesco Ielpo were stopped en route to the church and “were compelled to turn back.” The statement said that “for the first time in centuries, the heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.”

Church authorities described the move as a “grave precedent” and said it showed “a lack of consideration for the feelings of billions of people around the world who during this week raise their eyes towards Jerusalem.” They added that preventing entry of senior clergy “constitutes a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure.”

The Prime Minister's Office reponsed to the event, saying in an X post that Israeli security is putting together a plan to enable worship after preventing Holy Sepulchre mass. "There was no malicious intent whatsoever, only concern for his safety and that of his party," the post read. "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," it stated.

The incident comes amid strict security measures imposed since the start of the war with Iran, including limitations on public gatherings and the closure of religious sites lacking protected spaces. Israeli police said the restrictions were implemented in line with Home Front Command directives, citing concerns over public safety and the difficulty of evacuating large crowds in the Old City in the event of an attack.

“The Old City and the holy places are a complex terrain that does not allow the entry of large emergency and rescue vehicles… and poses a real danger to human life,” police said, adding that freedom of worship would continue “subject to restrictions” based on ongoing assessments.

The move drew diplomatic responses from several countries. Italy condemned the decision, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni calling it “an attack on believers,” while Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said it was “unacceptable” and confirmed that Italy had summoned Israel’s ambassador for clarification. Other foreign embassies also reportedly sought explanations from Israel’s Foreign Ministry.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also took to X saying that the denial of Palm Sunday mass was 'an unfortunate overreach already having major repercussions around the world.' "For the Patriarch to be barred from entry to the Church on Palm Sunday for a private ceremony is difficult to understand or justify," he added.

The disruption also affected broader Holy Week observances, with the traditional Palm Sunday procession in Jerusalem canceled due to security conditions. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the Christian Holy Week, commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, and typically draws thousands of worshippers to the city’s holy sites.