Jerusalem Palm Sunday disrupted as church leaders barred from Holy Sepulchre for first time in centuries

Catholic leaders were blocked by Israeli police from entering Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday, a move described by the Latin Patriarchate as a grave precedent and the first such restriction in centuries. The cancellation of the Palm Sunday procession comes amid broader security-related restrictions on holy sites in East Jerusalem related to the ongoing conflict, drawing criticism from Italy and prayers from the Vatican. Israeli authorities said the measures were for public safety, with plans to enable worship at the site in the coming days.