Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, said the Israeli National Police blocking priests from entering a church on Palm Sunday was an "unfortunate overreach."
Israeli police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from marking Palm Sunday at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre "for the first time in centuries," the Patriarchate said, with police citing security concerns linked to the war in Iran.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Friar Francesco Ielpo were stopped by police while walking to the church, which is built on the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said.
"As a result, and 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," it said in a statement.
Israeli police said all holy sites in Jerusalem's Old City — including those sacred to Christians, Muslims and Jews — had been closed to worshippers since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, particularly those without bomb shelters.
Police said they had rejected a request from the Patriarchate for a Palm Sunday exemption.
"The Old City and the holy sites constitute a complex area that does not allow access for large emergency and rescue vehicles, which significantly challenges response capabilities and poses a real risk to human life in the event of a mass casualty incident," police said.
Huckabee said on social media that the decision by the Israeli National Police was already having "major repercussions around the world."
"Home Front Command Guidelines restrict any gatherings to 50 people or less," Huckabee said. "The 4 representatives of the Catholic Church were well below that restriction."
"Statements from the Gov't of Israel indicate the action to prohibit Cardinal Pizzaballa entry to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher were for safety reasons, but churches, synagogues, and mosques throughout Jerusalem have met with the restrictions of 50 or less," Huckabee added.
The ambassador said what the Israeli National Police did was difficult to understand or justify.
"Israel has indicated it will work with the Patriarch to accommodate a safe means of carrying out Holy Week activities," Huckabee said.
Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said on social media that he would summon Israel's ambassador over the incident.
France's President Emmanuel Macron condemned the Israeli police's decision, which he said "adds to the worrying increase in violations of the status of the Holy Places in Jerusalem."
Reuters contributed to this report.
Sam Barron ✉
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