Netanyahu lifts restriction on Latin Patriarch entering church
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‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday night he directed authorities to grant full and immediate access to Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, reversing a security restriction that had barred him from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass.
In a post on X, Netanyahu stated he acted “as soon as I learned about the incident,” claiming that the earlier decision stemmed from “special concern for his safety” amid ongoing Iranian missile attacks.
The restriction earlier Sunday prevented Pizzaballa and the Custos of the Holy Land from entering the church for a private Mass, marking the first time in centuries that top Catholic leaders were blocked from the site.
The move drew swift criticism from Christian leaders worldwide.
Netanyahu further claimed there was “no malicious intent whatsoever” and that the temporary measure applied equally to all religions due to the Iranian ballistic missile threat, which has targeted Jerusalem repeatedly since the escalation of the Iran-‘Israel’ conflict in late February.
