Telling a story only partially, leading people to draw the wrong conclusions, is one of the most common forms of manipulation.<\/p>\n
Today, many Catholic media outlets and internet users have echoed a statement from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem<\/a>, the highest authority of the Catholic Church in the capital of the State of Israel, in which it denounces the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n \"This morning, the Israeli Police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem<\/strong>, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, together with the Custos of the Holy Land, the Most Reverend Fr. Francesco Ielpo, OFM, the official Guardian of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, as they made their way to celebrate the Palm Sunday Mass.<\/strong><\/p>\n The two were stopped en route, while proceeding privately and without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act, and were compelled to turn back. As a result, and for the first time in centuries, the Heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.<\/strong><\/p>\n This incident is a grave precedent<\/strong>,and disregard the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who, during this week, look to Jerusalem.\"<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Interestingly, the statement does not explain why the Israeli police did that.<\/strong> The fourth paragraph simply states the following:<\/p>\n \"The Heads of the Churches have acted with full responsibility and, since the outset of the war, have complied with all imposed restrictions: public gatherings were cancelled<\/strong>, attendance was prohibited, and arrangements were made to broadcast the celebrations to hundreds of millions of faithful worldwide, who, during these days of Easter, turn their eyes to Jerusalem and to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.\"<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n After reading that statement, many are accusing the Israeli government of violating religious freedom and discriminating against Christians in the Holy Land<\/strong>, accusations based on the fact that the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has not explained the reason for today's incident. And since they haven't, I will.<\/p>\n On March 14, the Israeli government announced the following<\/a>: \"Jerusalem\u2019s holy sites stand empty for one reason: protecting worshippers. The same safety measures apply to the Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.<\/strong> While the Iranian regime fires missiles at civilians of all religions - even toward Jerusalem\u2019s holy sites during Ramadan - Israel protects the life and safety of all worshippers<\/strong>.\"<\/em><\/p>\n That same day, the Israeli Foreign Ministry published<\/a> this video of the Western Wall, the holiest site for Jews, completely empty<\/strong> due to those restrictions following Iranian attacks on civilian targets in Israel:<\/p>\n Jerusalem\u2019s holy sites stand empty for one reason: protecting worshippers. The same safety measures apply to the Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.<\/p>\n While the Iranian regime fires missiles at civilians of all religions - even toward Jerusalem\u2019s\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/34DVmaT3tD<\/a><\/p>\n — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) March 14, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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