On Sunday March 29, the Israeli police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem in order to celebrate Palm Sunday. It is the first time in centuries that this occurs and the action has generated worldwide protests. Not only did the Vatican and the Patriarchate protest, but so did French President Emmanuel Macron, Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez, and even US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who said that the action “is 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.”
Italian PM Giorgia Meloni also spoke about “an offense not only for believers, but for any community that recognizes religious freedom.” The Italian government summoned the Israeli ambassador, who, although complaining that he had wished “a different answer” from Italy, said that the exchange was “open and sincere, sometimes a bit conflictual but certainly as a dialogue.”
The Israeli government had to backtrack. President Herzog has called Pizzaballa, expressing “deep sorrow for the incident” and promising “an unwavering commitment to freedom of religion.” Prime Minister Netanyahu has made it known that, “given the sacrality of the week preceding Easter for Christians throughout the world, the security forces are drafting a plan to allow religious leaders to celebrate mass” in the Holy Sepulcher.
