American Ambassador in Israel Criticizes Ban on Latin Patriarch’s Entry to Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday

SadaNews Translation - The American ambassador to Israel expressed his concern over the Israeli police's decision to prevent the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and three other priests from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to participate in religious ceremonies for Palm Sunday.

The ambassador stated in a statement, according to SadaNews Translation, that this decision is an "unfortunate overreach" and has serious implications worldwide, noting that the imposed restrictions come amid the closure of religious sites in the Old City, including the Western Wall and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, for public safety reasons.

He explained that the directives from the Israeli home front command allow gatherings of no more than 50 people, noting that the number of clergy who were barred from entering was much lower than this limit, raising questions about the rationale behind the decision.

He added that churches, mosques, and temples in Jerusalem adhere to the regulations imposed on gatherings, emphasizing that it is "difficult to understand or justify" the prohibition on the Patriarch from entering the church to conduct special ceremonies on this religious occasion.

The statement noted that the Israeli authorities reported they would work with the Patriarch to find a secure mechanism that would allow the holding of events for Holy Week in the coming period.