Israel Blocks Palm Sunday Mass

On Palm Sunday, the Israel — Israel Police prevented Catholic leaders, including Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Francesco Ielpo, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to celebrate Mass. This marked the first time in centuries such an event occurred, with police citing safety concerns due to the ongoing Iran war and the inability of emergency vehicles to access the Old City's narrow alleys. The Catholic Church condemned the decision as 'unreasonable and disproportionate,' impeding freedom of worship. The incident drew widespread international condemnation from leaders including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, who criticized the move as a violation of religious freedom. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially defended the action as a safety measure but later instructed authorities to grant Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa full and immediate access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, acknowledging the holiness of the week leading up to Easter.