Missiles and drones darken Easter and Passover

Israeli police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from marking Palm Sunday at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre "for the first time in centuries," the Patriarchate said, with police citing security concerns linked to the Iran war.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Friar Francesco Ielpo were stopped by police while walking to the church, built on the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said.

Israeli police said all holy sites in Jerusalem's Old City – including those sacred to Christians, Muslims and Jews – had been closed to worshippers since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, particularly locations without bomb shelters.

Police said they had rejected a request from the Patriarchate for a Palm Sunday exemption.

"The Old City and the holy sites constitute a complex area that does not allow access for large emergency and rescue vehicles, which significantly challenges response capabilities and poses a real risk to human life in the event of a mass casualty incident," police said.

RESTRICTIONS AFFECT EASTER, RAMADAN, PASSOVER

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, the most important week in the Christian calendar, leading to Easter. The Old City would typically be busy, with Roman Catholics passing through the massive wooden doors of the Holy Sepulchre.

This year, Christians, Muslims and Jews have been unable to observe Easter, Ramadan or Passover as usual due to police restrictions. Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque was largely empty during Ramadan, and few worshippers have come to Judaism's Western Wall as Passover approaches on Wednesday.