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Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre closed on Palm Sunday under Israeli wartime rules, drawing rebukes from the Catholic Church and Italy.
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Israel bars Catholic officials from praying at holy site, outraging US Ambassador Mike Huckabee
Israel barred Catholic officials from privately praying at a historic Jerusalem church for the first time in centuries over security concerns involving the war — sparking outcry from US Ambassador Mike Huckabee.
Following a widespread backlash, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had asked “relevant authorities” to allow Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch, to hold services at Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre “as he wishes.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said it was "the first time in centuries" that heads of the church were unable to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass at the sacred site.
World leaders have voiced concern after Israeli police prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Sunday
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), both staunch supporters of Israel, joined world leaders on Sunday in criticizing the Israeli police for prohibiting the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Palm Sunday mass.
Israeli police said that all holy sites in Jerusalem, regardless of the faith, had been closed to worshippers in fear of Iranian strikes amidst its ongoing war with the US and Israel.
The approval was announced in a joint statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar, and Construction and Housing Minister Haim Katz. Israel approved a
Holy Week in the Holy Land began with online hysteria. After Catholic Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and three prelates were wrongly denied access to Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre at a police barrier,
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he’s restoring access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after police prevented a Christian leader from holding Mass on Palm Sunday, prompting an international backlash.