Jerusalem: Israeli police on Sunday prevented the Latin Patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to conduct the Palm Sunday celebration, marking the start of the Catholic Easter.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the Jerusalem Governorate released a statement indicating that the Latin Patriarchate had coordinated the cardinal's arrival in advance, planning for the ceremony to occur privately with only the cardinal and three companions. Despite this, the Israeli police obstructed their entry.
In response, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land issued a joint statement condemning the incident as a 'serious precedent.' They criticized the measure as 'blatantly unreasonable and entirely inappropriate,' asserting that it undermines the fundamental principles of rationality, freedom of worship, and respect for the status quo governing holy sites.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates also condemned the action, labeling it a crime impacting both Christian and Muslim communities. They called for urgent international intervention to address what they described as an illegal military measure that violates the fundamental rights of Palestinians, particularly their freedom of worship.
Jordan's Ministry of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs, as reported by Jordan's Petra news agency, strongly denounced the Israeli actions, emphasizing that they are in violation of international law and the historical and legal status of Jerusalem. The ministry urged Israel to cease obstructing worshippers' access to holy sites and condemned the continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
International reactions included French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, both of whom condemned the actions of the Israeli police. Macron expressed support for Christians in the Holy Land, while Meloni termed the incident an 'insult to believers.' The Italian Foreign Minister called for clarifications from the Israeli government regarding the incident.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun also voiced condemnation during a phone call with the Latin Patriarch in Lebanon, highlighting the violation of freedom of worship and international law, and expressing Lebanon's strong disapproval of the act.
The incident has drawn widespread international criticism, with calls for the protection of religious freedoms and the preservation of the historical and legal status quo of Jerusalem's holy sites.
