EU Condemns Israel's Ban on Patriarch's Access to Holy Sepulchre

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas, condemned the Israeli police's decision to ban the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday. Kallas described the action as a violation of religious freedom and the long-standing guarantees protecting the Holy Sites. She emphasized the importance of fully ensuring religious freedom for all religions in Jerusalem and the need to protect the city's multi-religious character. The condemnation comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with concerns about access to religious sites during important religious holidays.