Israel looking for 'solutions' to open Christian sites after barring church leader on Palm Sunday due to war

Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre and other major holy sites were closed on Palm Sunday under Israeli wartime restrictions, disrupting one of Christianity's holiest observances as the Iran war entered its fifth week.

The Catholic Church rebuked the police decision as "a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure."

Israeli police lamented the war restrictions limiting worship and acknowledged the need to "balance freedom" with "public safety."

"Under Home Front Command directives, life-saving restrictions apply to all holy sites in the Old City - for Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike," Israeli police posted to X, responding to an outcry on religious freedom in a video statement. "The Old City has been targeted by murderous missiles multiple times this month, alongside constant fire on residential areas."

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"These threats do not discriminate between religions, and neither does our duty to protect you," the statement continued. "We are in active dialogue with religious leaders, including an upcoming meeting with the Patriarch, to examine solutions that balance freedom of worship with public safety."

The Latin Patriarchate said Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Father Francesco Ielpo were stopped by Israeli police while trying to reach the church privately to celebrate Mass, after the traditional Palm Sunday procession had already been canceled.

Israel President Isaac Herzog called the restricted worshipers to "express my great sorrow over this morning's unfortunate incident."

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"I clarified that the incident stemmed from security concerns due to the continuous threat of missile attacks from the Iranian terror regime against the civilian population in Israel, following previous incidents in which Iranian missiles fell in the area of the Old City of Jerusalem in recent days," he wrote Sunday on X. "I reaffirmed the State of Israel's unwavering commitment to freedom of religion for all faiths and to upholding the status quo at the holy sites of Jerusalem."

The Italian government rebuked what it called an "offense" on "religious freedom" in the Holy Land.

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"The Italian government expresses closeness to Cardinal Pizzaballa, Father Ielpo and the religious who have been prevented today by the Israeli authorities from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass in the Holy Sepulchre," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote in a statement. "The Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a sacred place of Christianity, and as such to be preserved and protected for the celebration of sacred rites. Preventing the entry of the Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Keeper of the Holy Land, moreover in a central solemnity for the faith such as Palm Sunday, constitutes an offense not only for believers, but for every community that recognizes religious freedom."

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The Latin Patriarchate said the Church of the Holy Sepulchre has been hosting Masses that are not open to the public since the Iran war began Feb. 28, and it was unclear why Sunday's Mass and access by the two priests was any different.

"It's a very, very sacred day for Christians and in our opinion there was no justification for such a decision or such an action," Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem spokesperson Farid Jubran said.

The church had requested permission from the police, he added, for a few religious leaders to enter the church for a private Mass on Sunday - not one that was open to the public.

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Pope Leo XIV, at the end of Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square, prayed for all Christians in the Middle East who he said were living through an "atrocious" conflict. He said, "in many cases, they cannot live fully the rites of these holy days," though he did not elaborate.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday evening that there was no "malicious intent" and that the cardinal was prevented from accessing the church because of safety concerns, but that Israel would try to partially open the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

"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," Netanyahu wrote on X.

The Western Wall, a holy site for Jews, is also mostly closed because of safety issues, but authorities are letting up to 50 people at a time pray in an enclosed area adjacent to the plaza.

Smaller churches, synagogues and mosques are open in Jerusalem's Old City if they are located within a certain distance of a bomb shelter deemed acceptable by Israel's military and, if gatherings are kept under 50 people.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.