U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee shared his disapproval of Israeli police blocking the Church of the Holy Sepulchre from entering into Palm Sunday services on X.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Roman Catholic leader in Jerusalem, and the Rev. Francesco Ielpo were stopped en route to the church when they were told by Israeli police to turn back. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre said it understands the precautions that Israel’s security forces are taking amid regional warfare, but also said that restricting the Holy Day service “constitutes a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure.”
Huckabee sided with the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, saying that the Israeli National Police made an “unfortunate overreach, already having major repercussions around the world.”
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“Home Front Command Guidelines restrict any gatherings to 50 people or less,” Huckabee said on X. “The 4 representatives of the Catholic Church were well below that restriction. Statements from the Gov’t of Israel indicate the action to prohibit Cardinal Pizzaballa entry to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was for safety reasons, but churches, synagogues, and mosques throughout Jerusalem have met with the restrictions of 50 or fewer. For the Patriarch to be barred from entry to the Church on Palm Sunday for a private ceremony is difficult to understand or justify.”
“Israel has indicated it will work with the Patriarch to accommodate a safe means of carrying out Holy Week activities,” Huckabee said.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he called the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Pizzaballa, “to express my great sorrow” over what happened on Sunday, and clarified that the incident arose due to “security concerns due to the continuous threat of missile attacks.” Huckabee reposted Herzog’s post on X, saying he is “grateful” for the Israeli president’s statement.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) also reposted Huckabee’s original statement, saying that the security concerns are valid but “should not have prevented the Patriarch” from entering the church and conducting the Palm Sunday blessing.
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Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week, and commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem before His death and resurrection. Holy Week is regarded as the holiest week within the Christian faith.
President Donald Trump and the White House have yet to acknowledge Holy Week’s beginning this year as of Sunday afternoon, though they did so last year. Trump posted a letter he received from evangelist Franklin Graham in October on Truth Social, which read, “The only way to Heaven is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.