Israeli authorities restored access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Sunday after an initial police decision to block entry to a senior Catholic leader sparked international criticism.
Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch and leading Catholic authority in the region, had attempted to reach the church alongside Francesco Ielpo, the site’s official guardian. According to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Israeli police intercepted the pair and forced them to turn back before they could arrive.
Access to holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City had been restricted since the outbreak of conflict with Iran in February, under orders from the Israeli Home Front Command, which oversees civilian safety during emergencies. Iranian missile attacks have repeatedly targeted the city since hostilities escalated.
In one incident, missile debris fell just meters from the church itself, while another interception scattered fragments across the Old City, striking residential areas, a convent, the Dome of the Rock complex and the church grounds. The ongoing attacks have resulted in at least 19 fatalities in Israel.
The incident marked an unprecedented disruption, as church leaders have not been prevented from holding Palm Sunday services at the site for centuries. The church is widely recognized as one of Christianity’s holiest locations, believed to stand at the site of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.
Israeli police defended their actions, citing security concerns for Pizzaballa’s safety, while Netanyahu’s office emphasized that there was “no malicious intent whatsoever.”
Following mounting international criticism, Netanyahu stated on X that he had directed authorities to allow the patriarch to conduct services without obstruction.
Police later confirmed that a “limited prayer framework” had been approved for the church, developed in coordination with the Latin Patriarchate.
The traditional Palm Sunday procession, which typically draws thousands of pilgrims to Jerusalem, had already been canceled in advance due to restrictions on large public gatherings.
The Latin Patriarchate clarified that Pizzaballa and Ielpo had been traveling “privately and without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act.”
Mike Huckabee criticized the decision, writing that preventing the patriarch from entering the church for a private observance was “difficult to understand or justify” and describing the police action as an “unfortunate overreach already having major repercussions around the world.”
Kaja Kallas also condemned the move, stating that freedom of worship in Jerusalem must be upheld for all faiths and calling the incident a “violation of religious freedom.”
Netanyahu’s office later indicated that officials were working on a plan to ensure that church leaders would be able to access the holy site throughout the remainder of the Easter observance period.
