UPDATED: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has now issued a statement that he has granted full access to Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Israeli Prime Minister also said that the access had been forbidden due to ongoing ballistic missile attacks by Iran targeting the historical religious sites of Jerusalem with access forbidden to people of all faiths after missile fragments fell metres away from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ian Borg, has called for full and unhindered access to Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, particularly during Holy Week, after the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. Pierbattista Pizzaballa was denied entry to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
The incident occurred as Cardinal Pizzaballa approached the church together with the Custos of the Holy Land to participate in private Holy Week liturgy. Israeli police officers prevented the Cardinal from entering the church, prompting concern and condemnations among Church officials and the wider Christian community.
Minister Borg emphasised the importance of safeguarding freedom of worship and ensuring that access to holy sites—particularly during one of the most significant periods in the Christian calendar—is respected. He underscored Malta’s longstanding position in support of the protection of religious rights and the status quo governing holy places in Jerusalem.
The denial of access has raised broader concerns about restrictions on religious practices in the city, especially during sensitive liturgical periods such as Holy Week, when thousands of pilgrims and clergy traditionally gather at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of Christianity’s most sacred sites.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa visited Gaza in July 2025 where he met with injured civilians who were recovering from Israel’s attack on the Holy Family Church in Gaza that left 3 people dead and dozens others injured (featured photo).
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