Israel opens access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to Christian leaders after international intervention

The Israeli government has announced the creation of a special plan that will allow the heads of Christian churches to worship at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The decision follows a wave of international protest caused by restrictions on access to the shrine during the Catholic Easter celebration.

According to the Romfea.gr news portal, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued an official explanation of the situation. According to the authorities, the temporary restrictions were imposed solely for security reasons against the backdrop of ongoing rocket attacks by Iran. A government statement stressed that «debris from Iranian ballistic missiles fell a few meters from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,» forcing law enforcement agencies to restrict mass gatherings of worshippers in the Old City for their protection.

Earlier, the actions of Israeli police in blocking the path of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa on Palm Sunday drew sharp criticism from world leaders. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called what happened an «insult to the feelings of believers,» and French President Emmanuel Macron said it was unacceptable to violate the historical status of holy sites. In response to international pressure, including appeals from the Vatican and Germany, Israeli security forces reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of religious freedom and pledged to ensure the safe conduct of celebrations throughout Holy Week.