Spain summons Israeli diplomat over Holy Sepulchre access snub

Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares announced that the Israeli chargé d’affaires in Madrid has been summoned to the Spanish Foreign Ministry following a dispute over access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Speaking in an interview with RAC1 radio, Albares said the move was intended to formally protest the incident and prevent similar occurrences in the future. “This morning we summoned the Israeli chargé d’affaires to the Foreign Ministry to express our protest and make it clear that such actions must not happen again. Catholic religious ceremonies must be allowed to proceed normally,” he said.

The diplomatic action comes after Israeli police denied entry to the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who was scheduled to celebrate Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm on March 29. The day, observed a week before Easter, falls on April 5 in 2026.

The incident has raised concerns over access to one of Christianity’s holiest sites and sparked calls for ensuring that religious ceremonies can be conducted without interference. Spain’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that it expects measures to guarantee normal access for Catholic rites in the future.

By Vafa Guliyeva