EU's Kallas: Israel barring patriarch from Holy Sepulchre 'violation of religious freedom'

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas voiced concern late Sunday over Israel's decision to prevent the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from marking Palm Sunday at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, calling the move a "violation of religious freedom." "The decision by Israeli police to bar Jerusalem's Latin Patriarch from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday constitutes a violation of religious freedom and long-standing protections governing holy sites," Kallas wrote on X.

Patriarch barred

Israeli police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass. In a statement, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said Pizzaballa, along with the custos of the Holy Land, Father Francesco Ielpo, was stopped while heading privately to the church and "compelled to turn back." The patriarchate said the incident marked the first time in centuries that church leaders were prevented from celebrating Palm Sunday at the Holy Sepulchre, one of the holiest Christian sites.

Call for protection

Kallas called for fully guaranteeing freedom of worship in Jerusalem "without exception, for all faiths," adding that "Jerusalem's multi-religious character must be protected." The EU's top diplomat's statement reflects growing international concern over restrictions on religious worship in the contested city.

Al-Aqsa closure continues

As of last Friday, Israeli authorities also continue to bar Muslims from Friday prayers at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam, for the fourth consecutive week, keeping it closed since late February under emergency measures linked to the war with Iran. The closures have drawn widespread condemnation from Muslim-majority countries and international human rights organizations.

Conflict context

The restrictions come amid the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran, now in its fifth week, which has killed over 1,350 people in Iran and expanded to include a ground offensive in Lebanon that has displaced over one million people. The closure of Jerusalem's holy sites during Ramadan and Holy Week has added a religious dimension to the already volatile regional tensions.