Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to growing scrutiny over restrictions affecting church access in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Speaking in an interview with Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy on March 30, Netanyahu addressed reports that the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem was initially blocked from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to lead Palm Sunday services.
He said the incident followed Iranian missile fire toward Jerusalem, with fragments landing near religious sites in the Old City.
Netanyahu said the missiles struck an area that contains sacred places for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, including the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. According to him, security officials ordered worshippers to clear the area due to insufficient protection against further missile threats.
“What happened was that the Iranians have been firing missiles at the Old City of Jerusalem,” Netanyahu said, adding that debris nearly struck the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Restrictions Applied to all Faiths, Netanyahu Says
Netanyahu explained that the restriction applied to worshippers of all faiths and that a police officer enforced the order without ill intent. Netanyahu said he later intervened to allow the Patriarch to proceed with the service once the situation was reviewed.
Also Read: Netanyahu Mourns Troops as Israel Signals Need for More Forces in Lebanon
“I said the Patriarch should be free to come with his party and perform services as he wishes,” he said.
The prime minister said Israeli authorities are now limiting the number of worshippers at holy sites during the holiday period as a precautionary measure while continuing to allow religious observance.
Netanyahu rejected claims that Israel discriminates against Christians, saying the country’s policies protect worshippers of all faiths. He pointed to the growth of Israel’s Christian population and their participation in public life, including roles in the judiciary, parliament, education, and business.
Netanyahu also criticized the lack of international condemnation of Iran for firing missiles toward the Old City, describing the attacks as a threat to sites sacred to Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
The incident occurred during the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, which began on February 28, with large-scale airstrikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites.
Church leaders raise concerns over Palm Sunday restrictions
Iran launched ballistic missiles and drones toward Israel, in retaliation, prompting Israeli authorities to impose strict Home Front Command restrictions on public gatherings across the country to protect civilians from missile threats.
Also Read: Netanyahu Confesses Trump Helped in Eliminating Commander Behind Strait of Hormuz Closure
Iranian missile fragments have repeatedly fallen in and near Jerusalem’s Old City, including areas close to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Western Wall, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Security measures led police to initially prevent Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Mass, an event described by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land, for the first time in centuries, blocked senior clergy from leading the service at the site.
In a joint statement on March 29, the two Catholic authorities stated that the Israeli Police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, together with the Custos of the Holy Land, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem as they were on their way to celebrate the Palm Sunday Mass.
The two were stopped en route, while proceeding privately and without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act, and were compelled to turn back.
“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, read part of the statement.
The two authorities described the incident as a grave precedent that disregarded the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who look to Jerusalem.
