French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Israeli police for blocking the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from giving Palm Sunday mass, saying worship “for all religions” must be guaranteed in Jerusalem.
“I condemn this decision by the Israeli police”, who prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa — the top Catholic figure for Israel and the Palestinian territories — Macron said on X.
Their action “adds to a worrying series of violations of the status of holy places in Jerusalem”, he said.
The Israeli prime minister’s office said that police blocked the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday mass out of “concern for his safety”.
“Today, out of special concern for his safety, Jerusalem police prevented the Latin Patriarch Cardinal (Pierbattista) Pizzaballa from holding mass this morning at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on X.
However, Netanyahu’s office said that a plan was being put in place to ensure that Christian worshippers would be able to perform their rites during Holy Week.
“Given the holiness of the week leading up to Easter for the world’s Christians, Israel’s security arms are putting together a plan to enable church leaders to worship at the holy site in the coming days,” it said.