Sometimes it’s a wonder Israel can stand with all the self-inflicted gunshot wounds in its feet. Israeli police placed their country in the eye of a diplomatic and religious storm by accosting their most senior Catholic clergymen as they made their way to pray at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Religious gatherings have been restricted during the ongoing war with Iran, which has repeatedly targeted built-up civilian areas including Jerusalem. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Father Francesco Ielpo, Custos of the Holy Land, were prevented from accessing the Holy Sepulchre yesterday, which was Palm Sunday, the day when Christians mark Jesus Christ’s entry into Jerusalem. The story quickly gained momentum and drew criticism of Israel from top clerics and world leaders.

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The Israeli side of the story is that this was a case of overzealous policing by officers who interpreted the wartime restrictions too stringently. Religious sites such as the Holy Sepulchre cannot be brimming with worshippers given the grave risk to life should Iran land a direct hit, but a few prelates entering the building to recite prayers should not have met........

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