Netanyahu Grants Latin Patriarch Full Access to Holy Sepulchre

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem will now be granted “full and immediate access” to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, following earlier restrictions by Israeli police. The decision came after the cardinal was barred from entering the site during a Palm Sunday Mass, which he and Reverend Francesco Ielpo had planned to hold as part of Holy Week preparations. Church officials stated the pair were prevented from accessing the church due to safety concerns linked to Iran’s missile strikes targeting Jerusalem’s holy sites.

“This hasty and fundamentally flawed decision, tainted by improper considerations, represents an extreme departure from basic principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship, and respect for the status quo,” said a statement from the patriarchate.

Netanyahu clarified that worshippers of all faiths had been advised to avoid the Old City’s holy sites, which have been under threat from Iranian ballistic missiles. He emphasized that the police acted out of “special” safety concerns, noting that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre—believed to mark the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus—had been “repeatedly targeted” by recent Iranian attacks. “In one strike, missile fragments crashed meters from the church,” he stated in a social media post, adding that the ban involved “no malicious intent whatsoever.”

The Latin Patriarch’s office called the Sunday incident “the first time in centuries” a leader of the Christian community had been denied entry to the site on Palm Sunday. The pair were “compelled” to return to the church’s entrance, where they had intended to conduct a private ceremony. “We had not asked for anything public, just a brief and small private service,” Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa later explained, aiming to clarify the situation while respecting safety and religious freedoms.

The move drew international backlash, with US Ambassador Mike Huckabee calling it an “unfortunate overreach” and questioning its justification. The State Department also highlighted the security challenges in Jerusalem caused by Iran’s ongoing missile attacks, urging Israel to ensure the safe observance of Holy Week. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the action as an “offence not only against believers but against every community that recognises religious freedom,” while Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned Israel’s ambassador for an explanation. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the decision, linking it to a “worrying increase in violations of the status of the Holy Places in Jerusalem.”

Israeli police stated that all holy sites in the Old City had been closed to worshippers since the conflict with Iran began on 28 February, citing security reasons. They rejected the patriarchate’s request for a Palm Sunday exception, prompting the current adjustments. Netanyahu said a plan was being developed to allow church leaders to worship at the site in the coming days, balancing safety protocols with religious rights.