Archaeologists digging beneath Jerusalem&#8217;s Church of the Holy Sepulchre — which Christians have venerated for nearly 1,700 years as the site of Christ&#8217;s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection — say they&#8217;ve <a href="https://www.dailymail.com/sciencetech/article-16076153/jesus-burial-site-jerusalem-excavation.html/">uncovered</a> an ancient landscape close to the one described in the Gospel of John.
The dig uncovered signs of a garden, a burial ground, and a rocky quarry, all tangled together just outside the old city walls.
The findings, issued in a report in the archaeological journal Liber Annuus, cap off an excavation that&#8217;s been <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/echoing-gospel-account-traces-of-ancient-garden-found-under-church-of-holy-sepulchre/">unfolding</a> under the basilica&#8217;s floor since 2022.
The Bible offers several clues to the tomb&#8217;s location. John 19:41 describes a garden with a new, unused tomb at the crucifixion site. John 19:20 places that site near Jerusalem, while Hebrews 13:12 puts it outside the city gate, which fits with the quarry&#8217;s position just beyond the ancient walls but close to the city. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all describe the tomb as rock-cut, matching the chambers found carved into the quarry&#8217;s stone. John also notes the tomb&#8217;s proximity to the crucifixion site, allowing for a quick burial before the Jewish Sabbath.
Lead archaeologist Francesca Romana Stasolla of Rome&#8217;s Sapienza University said her team found signs of grazing land, small cultivated plots, and multiple rock-cut tombs all sharing the same patch of ground. All these pieces of evidence line up extraordinarily well with Scripture&#8217;s description of Jesus being laid in a fresh tomb inside a garden near Golgotha.
The site itself started life as a quarry cut into a hillside, with parts of the excavation reaching nearly 20 feet under today&#8217;s church floor.
Traces of olive pits, grape seeds, and pollen recovered from the dirt back up the idea that the area was quietly farmed before it became one of Christianity&#8217;s most holy sites.
Researchers first found evidence of ancient olive and grapevine cultivation there in 2025, but it&#8217;s taken until now to decipher how the garden, the quarry, and the graves all fit together.
A Roman-era structure built during Emperor Hadrian&#8217;s reign made the original burial chamber inaccessible. When Constantine&#8217;s builders tore that structure down in the fourth century, they dug out the tomb, cut it off from the surrounding graves, and built Christianity&#8217;s first shrine around it: an open-air rotunda ringed by a dozen columns.
Some scholars still argue the nearby Garden Tomb is the more convincing match for the Biblical account, and Stasolla said that her evidence doesn’t prove this is where Jesus was buried, but the fact that early Christians zeroed in on and preserved this one specific tomb, rather than any of the others nearby, hints that the memory of where Jesus was buried might have survived the centuries.
&#8220;Archaeology undoubtedly attests to the enduring nature of this commemorative tradition,&#8221; Stasolla said.

holy bible

Archaeological Dig Uncovers Stunning Match To Bible’s Account Of Jesus’ Tomb

archaeology

bible

church of the holy sepulchre

jerusalem

jesus christ

world

Turkey’s mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan is a step toward the ultimate ambition of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: to make Ankara a powerhouse across the entire territory of the old Ottoman Empire.
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed in Mecca on August 7 by Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, commits the three countries to a NATO-type alliance among Sunni states that would treat an attack on any one of them as an attack on all.
The agreement gives Turkey access to assets it could not easily replicate on its own: Pakistan’s implicit nuclear deterrent and military capabilities, Saudi Arabia’s vast financial resources and influence across the Arab and Muslim worlds. Egypt has also been floated as a possible new member.
The pact will help counterbalance Iranian regional power, but it will also position Turkey as the military and political leader of a “Sunni ring of fire,” advancing the Turkish president’s vision of a modern Ottoman sphere of influence, according to Chaim Silberstein, the chairman of the Jerusalem Center for Applied Policy (JCAP).
“All these goals help him to progress and cement his position as the hegemon in the Middle East,” he said, arguing that the agreement helps resolve two significant obstacles to claiming leadership of the Muslim world, including not being a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad or an Arab.
Ankara is seeking to expand its own military capabilities. At the NATO summit in Ankara last month, President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-considers-reversing-one-of-his-own-first-term-foreign-policy-decisions">said he would consider</a> allowing Turkey to purchase F-35 stealth fighters, potentially reversing a ban imposed after Erdogan’s government bought Russia’s S-400 missile defense system. Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 over concerns that operating the Russian system alongside the American stealth fighter could expose sensitive information about the aircraft to Moscow. 
Congress subsequently prohibited the transfer of F-35s to Turkey unless Ankara no longer possessed the S-400, leaving any potential sale dependent on resolving the dispute over the Russian system. U.S. and Turkish officials have been exploring options, including making the S-400 inoperable or moving it to a U.S.-controlled facility.
Trump has also embraced the new alliance itself. In a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117107211893196124">post on Sunday</a>, he praised the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan for signing the Mecca agreement, calling it a “BIG, BOLD, AND IMPORTANT FIRST STEP” and saying it showed the Middle East was coming together and becoming better able to defend itself.
While Ankara contributes its own NATO-backed military and sophisticated defense industry, the pact could ultimately benefit Turkey most by giving Erdogan a broader security and political network through which to project Turkish power across the former Ottoman sphere, says Silberstein. 
In Silberstein’s view, the alliance also gives Erdogan a way to unite otherwise divided Sunni states around a common adversary: Israel. 
He sees Jerusalem as particularly powerful in that regard, arguing that the city can serve as a shared cause among countries with otherwise competing interests — and one with deep historical resonance for Turkey, whose Ottoman predecessors ruled Jerusalem for roughly 400 years.
“The pathway to consolidate his leadership and dominance is through a broad Sunni alliance,” Silberstein said. “Its main dynamic route runs through Jerusalem, which he perceives to be the best unifying factor among Sunni countries that continually fight with each other.”
Silberstein has made that argument the focus of a broader assessment of Turkey’s regional ambitions, warning that Erdogan’s strategy extends beyond conventional diplomacy and military alliances.
In the recent report, “Exposing Erdogan’s Plan for Palestine,” his organization examined a 758-page document published by Erdogan’s communications directorate covering the Gaza war from Oct. 7, 2023, through April 20, 2024. The organization argues that the document provides insight into how Ankara views Israel, the Palestinian issue, and Jerusalem as part of a longer-term Turkish strategy.
According to JCAP, the Turkish publication portrays Ankara’s involvement in Jerusalem not as foreign intervention but as a continuation of Turkey’s historic role. It emphasizes that the Ottomans ruled Jerusalem for more than four centuries and goes further, describing Gaza as an “integral part of our homeland.”
JCAP argues that this Ottoman narrative allows Turkey to present itself as a “civilization heir with a unique, inherited claim to Jerusalem — one that no Arab state, and certainly no Western power, can contest on equal terms.” The report says this framing “converts a geopolitical ambition into an inheritance.”
Erdogan has called Jerusalem “our city,” while Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said the Islamic world would do “whatever it takes” to defend the Islamic identity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Palestinian cause, in JCAP’s assessment, therefore gives Erdogan a platform to present Turkey as the defender of Jerusalem and the Palestinians — and, more broadly, as a leader of the Muslim world. The publication repeatedly invokes Jerusalem, Saladin, and Muslim responsibility, reinforcing what JCAP describes as Ankara’s effort to turn its historical connection to the city into a modern political claim.
In JCAP’s “Turkey’s Phased Plan to Conquer Jerusalem” report, it describes the series of steps Turkey could take to establish itself as the patron of Jerusalem and its holy sites. These include reconciliation between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, a political and military foothold in Gaza, a Turkish foothold in Syria, the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, and, eventually, an invitation for Turkey to help stabilize the new Palestinian government.
The report says the common thread running through Erdogan’s regional moves is the goal of eventually entering Jerusalem as its “patron and overlord.” It points to a network of Turkish organizations, charities, and cultural institutions already operating in Jerusalem as part of what it describes as an effort to establish a Turkish presence before any formal political role emerges.
That network includes the Turkish Consulate, Turkey’s intelligence service MIT, the Yunus Emre cultural center, and organizations promoting Turkish and Ottoman heritage. JCAP says Ankara has used economic assistance, education, scholarships, Turkish-language programs, and heritage initiatives to expand its influence among Arab residents of Jerusalem. 
Turkey’s approach to Gaza follows a similar pattern, according to the reports.
The official Turkish publication calls for a Turkish role in the postwar security structure while describing Ankara as prepared to participate as a guarantor with a military presence. JCAP identifies the guarantor mechanism as one of the report’s central strategic objectives, alongside a reconstruction fund. 
Trump was initially open to deploying Turkish troops to Gaza as part of the plan to remove Hamas from power and rebuild the Strip, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-883875">forcefully rejected</a> the inclusion of Turkish troops.
Turkey has also stepped up its rhetoric against Israel. On July 3, the Turkish foreign minister declared that Israel had become a “burden that humanity can no longer bear.” Erdogan has compared Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler, and his administration has <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/07/07/ahead-of-nato-summit-turkeys-foreign-minister-calls-israel-an-unbearable-burden/">called for</a> Israeli leaders to face trials like those of Nazi officials.
As Iran’s regional influence has waned, Turkey is moving to fill the vacuum left by Tehran, particularly in Syria, where Ankara is expanding its presence.
JCAP describes Syria as a crucial piece of Turkey’s broader strategy. It estimates that roughly 20,000 Turkish troops are deployed across nearly 100 outposts and bases in Syria and argues that Ankara is seeking to deepen its political and military hold over the country. The report describes a potential Turkish strategy of creating political structures in northern Syria subordinate to Ankara while providing military and political assistance to the government in Damascus.
In doing so, Turkey is beginning to adopt the same regional playbook that Iran used to build its influence. Iran spent years building its regional network through military deployments, local allies, and political influence, using Syria as a critical bridge to Lebanon and Hezbollah. With Bashar al-Assad gone and Tehran’s position weakened, Ankara has an opportunity to establish its own foothold.
Syria is particularly valuable because it sits between Turkey and much of the former Ottoman Middle East. A durable Turkish presence there would give Ankara a military foothold directly south of its border while positioning it to project influence toward Iraq, Lebanon, and the Palestinian territories.
But the prospect of a more powerful Turkey also comes with concerns about the man directing it. Erdogan has a long record of human rights abuses, Islamist politics, and hostility toward the West. His government has cracked down on journalists, political opponents, and Kurdish politicians, while Erdogan has increasingly embraced an Islamist vision for Turkey and cultivated relationships with U.S. adversaries, including Russia and Iran. 
He has also used anti-Americanism as a political tool, with his government promoting claims that the West was behind the 2016 coup attempt. In 2017, members of Erdogan’s security detail were accused of <a href="https://time.com/4808469/paul-ryan-resolution-turkish-embassy-protest-recep-tayyip-erdogan/">violently attacking</a> protesters outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence in Washington D.C. — an assault that prompted a unanimous condemnation from the U.S. House of Representatives.
For Erdogan, the objective is not necessarily to recreate the Ottoman Empire on a map, but to restore the power and influence it once exercised — putting Turkey at the center of the Middle East and increasingly independent of the West.

Erdogan

How Turkey Is Making A Bid To Bring Back A Modern Ottoman Empire

gaza

israel

recep tayyip erdogan

turkey

Talk about a foreign policy U-turn.
Colombia’s Right-wing president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, is pulling off a <a href="https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/07/27/colombias-president-elect-reverses-israel-policy-moves-embassy-to-jerusalem/">massive diplomatic pivot</a>: completely scrapping plans for an embassy in Ramallah and instead opening one in Jerusalem this August.
The fiery conservative lawyer, nicknamed &#8220;El Tigre,” won the presidency in a razor-thin June runoff after promising to smash drug cartels and restore law and order. Now, he’s tearing up the radical anti-Israel playbook written by outgoing leftist Gustavo Petro, who accused Israel of genocide in May 2024.
Petro had kicked out Israel’s ambassador in 2024 and lauded the idea of a new Palestinian mission. But de la Espriella officially killed those plans, agreeing with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to re-establish deep ties with the Jewish state.
For roughly 20 years prior to Petro’s denunciation of Israel, Israel had <a href="https://www.tarb.co.il/the-not-yet-final-loss-of-colombia/#:~:text=This%20enhanced%20security%20cooperation%20built%20on%20previous,FARC%20and%20ELN%20and%20powerful%20drug%20cartels.">supported</a> Colombia’s security operations with military technology and training of its special forces as it confronted Marxist guerrilla movements like the FARC and ELN as well as the drug cartels.
By placing its flag in Jerusalem, Bogotá joins an exclusive club that includes the U.S., Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Fiji, and Somaliland. It’s a huge win for Jerusalem, regaining a crucial ally of 50 million people which is also a U.N. Security Council member and has had deep military ties to Israel dating back decades.
Colombia’s diplomatic 180 isn’t happening in a vacuum. It’s the latest domino to fall in a massive conservative wave sweeping Latin America, as voters fed up with soaring crime, bad economies, and far-Left policies kick socialists out.
In Argentina, libertarian Javier Milei came to power in 2023 and slashed government spending; in Chile, José Antonio Kast crushed the Left in late 2025 on a strict border-security platform; in Ecuador and Peru, tough-on-crime leaders like Daniel Noboa and Keiko Fujimori won power to smash transnational drug gangs; in Bolivia, conservative Rodrigo Paz was elected in 2025 after 20 years of socialist rule.
Colombia recognized the State of Israel in February 1949. Official diplomatic relations were established in 1957, with full embassies opened in Bogotá and Tel Aviv.

COLOMBIA-POLITICS-ELECTION

New Conservative Boss In South America Obliterates Previous Socialist Foreign Policy

colombia

Embassy

Buried beneath the streets of Jerusalem for more than 2,600 years, charred wooden beams from the destruction of Solomon&#8217;s Temple have finally seen daylight.
Archaeologists digging in the City of David have uncovered massive wooden beams, charred black and twisted by the inferno that consumed Solomon&#8217;s Temple during the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The timbers, once part of a roof over an inner courtyard near the Temple, did not simply survive by chance. As the building burned and its roof collapsed, melted plaster sealed the beams beneath the rubble, preserving them for more than two millennia.
The find, <a href="https://www.iaa.org.il/en/page_news/page/%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A2%D7%A5-%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%9E%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%9F-%D7%94%D7%91%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%94%D7%AA%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%95-%D7%91%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%A8-%D7%93%D7%95%D7%93">announced</a> by the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University, comes just days before Tisha B&#8217;Av, the annual Jewish fast day mourning the destruction of both the First and Second Temples, 656 years apart.
Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said the discovery underscores the Jewish people&#8217;s longstanding connection to Jerusalem.
&#8220;Jerusalem’s soil continues to provide tangible evidence of the city’s ancient past,&#8221; Eliyahu said. &#8220;The wooden beams burned in the destruction of the First Temple stand as a powerful reminder of the Jewish people’s presence in Jerusalem some 2,600 years ago. On the eve of Tisha B’Av, this discovery underscores that our connection to Jerusalem is rooted not only in faith, but also in history, archaeology, and collective memory. It is our responsibility to continue uncovering, preserving, and passing this heritage on to future generations.”
Researchers say the unusually well-preserved timber contains enough growth rings to potentially date Jerusalem&#8217;s destruction with unprecedented precision, narrowing estimates from centuries to as little as a decade.
&#8220;It is very rare in Israel to find wood with such a large number of growth rings,&#8221; Dr. Johanna Regev of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Weizmann Institute of Science, stated. &#8220;Here, in the City of David, we found beams with many rings, offering significant research potential – with more growth rings enabling higher dating resolution. Until recently, we could date finds from this time within a range of hundreds of years. Now, as we separate and collect the rings one by one in the field, we can attain much greater precision, potentially narrowing the dating range down to as little as ten years.&#8221;
Perhaps the most striking revelation, though, is not about the fire itself but about what came after. When Jerusalem&#8217;s exiles returned from Babylon to rebuild their shattered city, they apparently made a deliberate choice: rather than clear away every trace of the catastrophe, they built the new city directly atop the ruins of the old, letting the wreckage remain as silent testimony.
Archaeologists call this a &#8220;landscape of memory&#8221; — the same impulse, found across countless cultures, to hold onto evidence of loss rather than erase it.
The Temple these beams once framed was not an ordinary building. According to biblical tradition, King David purchased the site, Mount Moriah, in the tenth century BC, and his son Solomon built the First Temple there soon after. For nearly four centuries it stood as the center of Jewish worship and national life, expanded and restored by successive kings, until Babylon&#8217;s armies burned it to the ground.
A Second Temple later rose on the same spot, rebuilt after the exile and later transformed into a monumental structure under Herod the Great, before Roman legions destroyed it in 70 AD. Even after that second devastation, Jewish attachment to the site never wavered: through Roman bans, Byzantine restrictions, Crusader conquest, and Ottoman rule, Jews continued — whenever permitted, and sometimes when it wasn&#8217;t — to visit, pray, and mourn at the Temple Mount, culminating in Israel&#8217;s recapture of the site in 1967.
Now, just ahead of the fast that commemorates that ancient loss, the ground itself has offered up a fragment of the fire that started it all.
For the archaeologists who uncovered it, the beams are more than an artifact. They are a direct, physical thread connecting the mourners fasting this week to the very night, 2,600 years ago, when Jerusalem burned.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1P2lfAdk8hU?si=aEkKDnwa109tyxCD" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

Solomon’s temple

MIRACLE: 2,600-Year-Old Wooden Beams Emerge From The Ashes Of The First Temple

Solomon's Temple

The Trump administration thanked Israel for taking steps to ensure that Catholic Church officials still had access to Christian sites during Holy Week after a back-and-forth over access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that the Trump administration had intially expressed &#8220;concern&#8221; after the Palm Sunday incident, but said they appreciated steps taken by Israeli police to resolve the conflict.
&#8220;We did express our concerns with Israel, with respect to these holy sites being shut down. We want worshipers to be able to access these holy sites,&#8221; Leavitt said during Monday&#8217;s press briefing. &#8220; Of course, safety is a top priority, but we understand Israel is working on those security measures to reopen the sites throughout Holy Week, and that&#8217;s something that we&#8217;re appreciative of.&#8221;
Earlier on Monday, Catholic Church authorities and Israeli police said Monday they had “resolved” a dispute to allow access to religious sites in Jerusalem. 
The announcement comes after officials representing the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-blocks-catholic-cardinal-from-holy-site-on-palm-sunday-over-safety-concerns?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Israel+Blocks+Catholic+Cardinal+From+Holy+Site+On+Palm+Sunday+Over+Safety+Concerns">said</a> police blocked them from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Israeli authorities pointed to safety concerns, noting that shrapnel from Iranian missile attacks had fallen near the church in recent days. 
Israeli police said “a mutual framework has been established for upcoming Easter ceremonies,” adding that events would be scaled back.
“Due to the complex security reality of Operation ‘Roaring Lion,’ ceremonies including the ‘Holy Fire’ will be held in a symbolic, limited format,&#8221; police said. &#8220;This coordination ensures that freedom of worship is maintained alongside our shared, primary duty: the protection of human life.”
Officials added that Iranian missile debris had recently impacted areas within Jerusalem&#8217;s Old City, prompting restrictions. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
An Iranian missile exploded over Jerusalem’s Old City. Its fragments fell on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Armenian Patriarchate, the Jewish Quarter and on the Temple Mount near the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Iranian regime is firing missiles toward Jerusalem’s holy sites,… <a href="https://t.co/8vKyURiGVW">pic.twitter.com/8vKyURiGVW</a>
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) <a href="https://twitter.com/Israel/status/2033586841387970642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land also released a statement saying “that the matters concerning the Holy Week and Easter celebrations at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre have been addressed and resolved in coordination with the relevant authorities.”
They added that, given the ongoing war, limits on public gatherings will remain in place, with services &#8220;broadcast live to the faithful in the Holy Land and throughout the world.&#8221;
“It is our hope that appropriate arrangements will continue to be found, enabling prayer to take place in places of worship, particularly in the Holy Places of all religions, in a manner that respects both legitimate safety needs and the religious observances and prayers that are of profound importance to hundreds of millions of believers,&#8221; the statement said.
Photos from earlier this month show shrapnel from Iranian missiles landing near several religious sites in Jerusalem&#8217;s Old City, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Armenian Patriarchate, the Jewish Quarter, and on the Temple Mount. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Here is a photo of the giant shrapnel fragment that fell beside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre earlier today. <a href="https://t.co/Hh3Mq2OyDK">pic.twitter.com/Hh3Mq2OyDK</a>
— Marc Zell &#8211; מארק צל (@GOPIsrael) <a href="https://twitter.com/GOPIsrael/status/2033613530088271914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

MixCollage-30-Mar-2026-07-53-AM-6693

Trump Admin Weighs In On Access To Christian Sites During Holy Week

catholic church

Easter

Israeli police prevented senior Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday, marking what church authorities say is the first time in centuries that the site’s top clerics were barred from celebrating one of Christianity’s most sacred observances.
According to a joint statement from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Father Francesco Ielpo, the Custos of the Holy Land and official guardian of the church, were stopped en route to the church and turned back by police.
The two clerics were traveling privately and “without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act,” the statement said, and were denied entry to the site where they were scheduled to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass. “For the first time in centuries, the Heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,” the statement noted, calling the incident “a grave precedent” that disregards “the sensibilities of billions of people around the world.”
Church authorities emphasized that they had complied with all restrictions imposed since the start of the war, including canceling public gatherings and arranging for services to be broadcast remotely to the faithful worldwide. “Preventing the entry of the Cardinal and the Custos … constitutes a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure,” the statement said, adding that the decision represented “an extreme departure from basic principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship, and respect for the Status Quo.”
The Patriarchate and Custody expressed “profound sorrow” that prayer on one of the most sacred days of the Christian calendar had been prevented in Christianity’s holiest site.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani publicly condemned the move, <a href="https://x.com/Antonio_Tajani/status/2038202709585662223">expressing</a> “heartfelt solidarity” with the Patriarch and Custos — both Italian nationals — and calling the decision “unacceptable.”
“For the first time, the Israeli police denied the leaders of the Catholic Church the possibility of celebrating Palm Sunday Mass in one of the holiest places for millions of believers around the world,” Tajani wrote, adding that Italy had <a href="https://x.com/Antonio_Tajani/status/2038213804081783242">summoned</a> the Israeli ambassador to lodge a formal protest and reaffirm its commitment to defending religious freedom.
Israeli authorities, however, pointed to ongoing wartime conditions and security concerns as justification for the restrictions. In a statement obtained by former Israeli spokesman <a href="https://x.com/eylonalevy/status/2038235514583609854?s=46&amp;t=ghpHusspWPjTMisXwpsMaA">Eylon Levy</a>, police said that all holy sites, including the temple mount and Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City have been closed in accordance with Home Front Command guidelines amid the ongoing conflict.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, police said, lacks adequate protected space, and recently Iranian missile shrapnel has landed nearby. They also cited the difficulty of navigating emergency vehicles through the Old City’s narrow alleyways in the event of a mass casualty incident.
According to the statement, Cardinal Pizzaballa had requested an exception to the restrictions, which authorities declined after explaining the security concerns. “‘Freedom of worship will continue to be upheld, subject to necessary restrictions,’” the police statement read, adding that Israel’s top priority remains “protecting human life.” 
Israeli government officials, for their part, have pointed squarely to escalating security threats as the driving force behind the decision. In a <a href="https://x.com/israelipm/status/2038252865865519479?s=46&amp;t=ghpHusspWPjTMisXwpsMaA">statement</a> released by the Prime Minister’s Office’s official X account, the government said that “over the past several days, Iran has repeatedly targeted the holy sites of all three monotheistic religions in Jerusalem with ballistic missiles,” underscoring the severity of the situation unfolding in the Old City.
The statement noted again that in at least one recent strike, missile fragments landed just meters from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre itself, an incident Israeli officials cited as evidence that even the most sacred sites are no longer insulated from the widening conflict.
“As a result, Israel has temporarily asked worshippers from all faiths not to worship at the holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City to protect them,” the Prime Minister’s Office said, framing the restrictions as a blanket security measure rather than one targeting any single religion or denomination.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed the specific decision to block Cardinal Pizzaballa, emphasizing that it was made “out of special concern for his safety,” and insisting that “there was no malicious intent whatsoever, only concern for his safety and that of his party.”
At the same time, the government acknowledged the extraordinary nature of the restriction, particularly given the timing during Holy Week. The Prime Minister’s Office said Israel’s security agencies are now “putting together a plan to enable church leaders to worship at the holy site in the coming days,” suggesting that the restrictions could be adjusted as conditions allow.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry echoed that explanation in a separate statement on <a href="https://x.com/israelmfa/status/2038252596343845310?s=46&amp;t=ghpHusspWPjTMisXwpsMaA">X</a>, stressing that all current limitations in the Old City are “a direct result of Iranian missile fire,” which has struck in the vicinity not only of the Holy Sepulchre, but also the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Western Wall.
“In light of this, and in order to protect the lives of worshippers of all faiths, precautionary instructions have been issued for all holy sites of all religions, and mass gatherings are not possible,” the ministry said. “The concern over a mass-casualty event in the Old City is particularly acute given the area’s density and the difficulty of deploying first responders in such an incident,” the statement said, appealing to the logistical challenges facing security officials.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, however, took issue with that reasoning. While acknowledging the security-driven closure of all holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City he described the specific denial of entry to the Catholic leaders as being perhaps overzealous. “While all Holy sites in the Old City are closed due to safety concerns for mass gatherings &#8230; the action today by the Israel Nat’l Police to deny Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and 3 other priests from entering the Church to offer a blessing on Palm Sunday is an unfortunate overreach already having major repercussions around the world,” Huckabee wrote in a statement on <a href="https://x.com/govmikehuckabee/status/2038267075592872362?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q">X</a>. 
<div>He noted that Home Front Command guidelines restrict any gatherings to 50 people or less, a limit the four Catholic representatives were well below. Although Israeli government statements have cited safety reasons for the decision, Huckabee observed that churches, synagogues, and mosques throughout Jerusalem have continued to operate under the same 50-person restriction. “For the Patriarch to be barred from entry to the Church on Palm Sunday for a private ceremony is difficult to understand or justify,” he added.</div>
Despite the restrictions, Israeli authorities indicated that dialogue with Church leadership is ongoing. The Foreign Ministry said police are expected to meet with Cardinal Pizzaballa to “explore solutions that allow for as normal a routine as possible while ensuring public safety,” signaling a potential path forward as tensions remain high.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, located in Jerusalem’s Old City, is revered by Christians as the site of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection, making it one of the most sacred places in the world. The decision to bar access on Palm Sunday, the day marking the beginning of Holy Week, has heightened tensions between church authorities and Israeli officials, raising broader questions about the balance between security measures and religious freedom during wartime.

V20251023EH-0297

Israel Blocks Catholic Cardinal From Holy Site On Palm Sunday Over Safety Concerns

Holy Week

religion

Fragments from an Iranian missile barrage fell across parts of Jerusalem’s holiest sites on Monday, including on the Temple Mount and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and near the Western Wall plaza, according to Israeli police.
Authorities said several interceptions were carried out over the city as Iran launched missiles toward Jerusalem, but fragments — including large ones — from intercepted projectiles and missile debris fell in multiple locations throughout the Old City.
“Today, Iranian missiles rained debris over Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Jewish Quarter,” the police said. “The enemy makes no distinction between religions, synagogues, mosques, or churches.”
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Today, Iranian missiles rained debris over Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Jewish Quarter.
Police officers are currently on the ground securing the scenes and collecting missile debris which targeted our civilians. What we… <a href="https://t.co/5BNplM0i85">pic.twitter.com/5BNplM0i85</a>
— Israel Police (@israelpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/israelpolice/status/2033599809009983902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Police said impact sites were identified near the Western Wall plaza at the Temple Mount, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre compound, and in the area of the Jewish Quarter.
Additional fragments were also discovered in central Jerusalem and parts of East Jerusalem.
Israeli police, bomb disposal units, and special forces from the Jerusalem District quickly responded to the scenes, cordoning off affected areas while sappers worked to collect debris and ensure no further risk remained to the public.
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An Iranian missile exploded over Jerusalem’s Old City. Its fragments fell on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Armenian Patriarchate, the Jewish Quarter and on the Temple Mount near the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Iranian regime is firing missiles toward Jerusalem’s holy sites,… <a href="https://t.co/8vKyURiGVW">pic.twitter.com/8vKyURiGVW</a>
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) <a href="https://twitter.com/Israel/status/2033586841387970642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Authorities emphasized that the decision to close holy sites to worshippers and visitors followed a security assessment intended to protect civilians, particularly because the Old City has very limited protected shelters.
One person was lightly hurt after touching a hot fragment, according to Magen David Adom. 
Israel <a href="https://x.com/MofaQatar_EN/status/2031823929657188605">was condemned</a> last week by several Muslim-majority countries after restricting worship on the Temple Mount due to safety concerns from Iranian missile attacks. Other sites were similarly closed, along with schools and many workplaces. 
Eight Islamic countries said Israel’s decision to close the compound — which Muslims call Al-Aqsa Mosque or Al-Haram Al-Sharif — to Muslim worshippers was “discriminatory” and violated international law. The countries that signed on to the statement included Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
The Western Wall is also closed. Schools are closed. Many workplaces are closed. Gatherings of over 50 are banned as the war continues. 
“What we experienced today emphasizes the significance of the Home Front Command life-saving guidelines, which include public closures of holy sites given the very limited protected shelters in the area,” the police said.
Jerusalem’s Old City is home to some of the holiest sites in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, drawing millions of worshippers and tourists each year.

Temple Mount

Iranian Missiles Threaten To Damage Jerusalem’s Holiest Sites As Debris Rains Down

Iranian Missile Debris Falls On Temple Mount, Holy Sepulchre In Jerusalem

iran

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In a historic milestone for archaeology and faith, the newly opened Pilgrimage Road at the City of David is welcoming visitors for the first time in nearly 2,000 years. This monumental 600-meter thoroughfare, once the spiritual and commercial heart of Second Temple Jerusalem, has been painstakingly uncovered stone by stone. As of January 2026, the final sections of this &#8220;Stepped Street&#8221; will open to the public, allowing modern travelers to walk the exact path their ancestors used during the great festivals of Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot.
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A truly historic moment &#8211; the newly opened Pilgrimage Road at the City of David is welcoming visitors for the first time in nearly 2,000 years.
This stone-paved path once carried pilgrims from the Pool of Siloam up to the Temple Mount for Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot, alive… <a href="https://t.co/U8q2DuGfRU">pic.twitter.com/U8q2DuGfRU</a>
— Embassy of Israel to the USA (@IsraelinUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraelinUSA/status/2016874219703873694?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The road is a marvel of ancient engineering, stretching from the Pool of Siloam in the south to the foot of the Temple Mount in the north. Eight meters wide and paved with massive limestone slabs, it features a unique stepped design — two shallow steps followed by a long landing — specifically crafted to facilitate a slow, meditative ascent for the millions of pilgrims who once thronged its path.
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While long attributed to Herod the Great, recent coin evidence found beneath the paving stones suggests the road was actually completed around 30–31 CE under Pontius Pilate. This places its activity squarely within the era of Jesus’ ministry, making it the literal surface upon which he and his disciples likely walked after ritual purification at the Pool of Siloam. The New Testament records Jesus performing a famous miracle with a blind man at the pool of Siloam, which sits at the very bottom of this road: John 9:7 states, “And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam. He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.&#8221;
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Managed by the Ir David (City of David) Foundation, the excavation of the road is a modern engineering triumph. Because the ancient street is buried beneath the modern neighborhood of Silwan, it has been excavated horizontally using high-tech steel supports. This subterranean &#8220;tunnel&#8221; method allows visitors to experience the bustling commercial hub of the past — where remains of shops, market stalls, and even an elevated preaching podium have been found — while the modern city continues to thrive above.
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The opening of this route fulfills a long-held vision to connect the Pool of Siloam directly to the Western Wall. For visitors, it offers more than a history lesson; it provides a tangible connection to the &#8220;DNA of Jerusalem.&#8221; From the drainage channels where Jewish rebels once hid to the massive stones polished by millions of ancient footsteps, the Pilgrimage Road is the &#8220;opening act&#8221; of a new era of discovery. It stands as a bridge across two millennia, inviting the world to walk the ceremonial way that once served as the primary gateway to the House of God.
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Daily Life In Jerusalem

The DNA Of Jerusalem: Ancient Pilgrimage Road Opens To The World

The following is an edited transcript from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1893-children-terrified-leftist-mob-storms-church-in-minneapolis?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">The Michael Knowles Show</a>.
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A very controversial statement — at least according to the internet — has just come out of Jerusalem. And not just from the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the chief Catholic prelate there, but from the heads of the other historic churches as well: the Armenian Church, the Syriac Church, the Greek Orthodox Church — all the Apostolic churches of Jerusalem.
Here is what they said. In a statement titled On Unity and the Representation of the Christian Communities in the Holy Land:
<blockquote>The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in the Holy Land affirm before the faithful and before the world that the ﬂock of Christ in this land is entrusted to the Apostolic Churches, which have borne their sacred ministry across centuries with steadfast devotion. </blockquote>
Here is the controversial line:
<blockquote>Recent activities undertaken by local individuals who advance damaging ideologies such as Christian Zionism mislead the public, sow confusion, and harm the unity of our flock. These undertakings have found favor among certain political actors in Israel and beyond, who seek to push a political agenda which may harm the Christian presence in the Holy Land and the wider Middle East.</blockquote>
The statement goes on for several more paragraphs and concludes with: “May the Lord, who is the shepherd and guardian of souls, grant wisdom for the protection of His people and the safeguarding of His witness in the sacred land.” 
It is signed by the patriarchs and heads of the churches in Jerusalem.
So what is this about?
We’ve heard a lot about Zionism — the nationalist ideology that arose in the 19th century and sought to return Jews to the Holy Land, where they had lived millennia earlier, though not in large numbers for quite some time. We’ve also heard about Christian Zionism, which is a specifically Christian theological take on that project.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1893-children-terrified-leftist-mob-storms-church-in-minneapolis?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">WATCH: The Michael Knowles Show</a></h3>
But who exactly are these “local individuals” sowing discord and undermining proper Christian authority?
I had to look into this, because as a Catholic I don’t exactly keep up with every niche Protestant trend. And I think the patriarchs are referring to a man named Robert Stearns, who styles himself “Bishop Robert Stearns.” He is not part of any Apostolic Christian community, but he calls himself a bishop anyway. He is also a vociferous advocate of Christian Zionism.
Here’s a sample of what he recently said:
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“Christian” Zionist Robert Stearns apologizes to Jews at Jerusalem Post conference for 2,000 years of “Christian history” hurting Jewish people.
He says it&#8217;s “irrelevant” if Jesus was the Messiah and claims to be part of a new Christian group “serving Zion.”
Follow: <a href="https://twitter.com/AFpost?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AFpost</a> <a href="https://t.co/aHhMgOfpA3">pic.twitter.com/aHhMgOfpA3</a>
— AF Post (@AFpost) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFpost/status/2011500100624040442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @AFpost/X.com
I was trying to be sympathetic here, but this is just ridiculous. It violates the law of non-contradiction — a principle we’ve known about since at least Aristotle. Opposing statements cannot both be true in the same respect.
Christ’s return cannot be both His first coming and His second coming. It’s one or the other. And if you’re a Christian, I’m happy to break it to you: it will be the second coming. You actually have to believe that.
This attempt to be cute or accommodating doesn’t resolve anything. It just empties theology of meaning.
Stearns also claims that the existence of the modern State of Israel is of biblical and prophetic necessity — that it is required for the end times to unfold. I know plenty of people share this view. But here’s the thing: this theology is new. Really new. Less than two centuries old. It is not the traditional Christian position, and it is not the correct one.
Which brings us back to the Jerusalem statement.
Is it shocking? Is it anti-Israel? Is it a break with tradition?
No. Not at all.
In fact, the position expressed by the patriarchs lines up perfectly with long-standing Vatican teaching. Here is something from 1985 — forty years ago, and two decades after the Second Vatican Council. This declaration from the Vatican goes out of its way to speak respectfully of Jews and is in no way anti-Semitic:
<blockquote>The history of Israel did not end in 70 A.D., but continued, especially in the numerous diasporas, which led Israel to carry to the whole world a witness, often heroic, of its fidelity to the one God… while preserving the memory of the land of their forefathers at the heart of their hope.</blockquote>
That reference, by the way, is to the Passover Seder.
Notice what’s happening here. The Vatican is not talking about the Church as the new Israel — which Christians have always believed — but about the historical, earthly Israel of the Jewish people. It acknowledges their witness, their fidelity, and even their attachment to the land.
But then comes the key clarification:
<blockquote>Christians are invited to understand this religious attachment, which finds its roots in biblical tradition, without, however, making their own any particular religious interpretation of this relationship.</blockquote>
And just to make it unmistakable, the Vatican adds:
<blockquote>The existence of the State of Israel and its political options should be envisaged not in a perspective which is in itself religious, but in their reference to the common principles of international law.</blockquote>
Bingo.
That is exactly what the patriarchs of Jerusalem are reaffirming. And they are completely right.
This is why I would not call myself a Zionist, or a Christian Zionist, or any other kind of Zionist. Not because I dislike Jews — I don’t. Not because I oppose the State of Israel — I don’t.
I am broadly supportive of the nation-state of Israel but not because of Zionist religious claims, which I don’t believe are true. I do not believe Jews are entitled to the Holy Land because of a theological premise. As a Christian, I believe the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament. Christ is the New Covenant. The Church is the spiritual Israel. Those Old Testament promises are fulfilled — not suspended, not postponed.
And I also don’t believe that occupying a piece of land 2,000 years ago grants a perpetual title deed. If that were the case, we’d have to hand Mount Rushmore back to the Lakota Sioux. I don’t believe that logic anywhere.
That said, I still broadly support Israel because I don’t like the alternatives. I don’t want Iran running the Holy Land. I don&#8217;t think the Muslims have been particularly protective of the holy sites. The Ottoman Empire is gone. Baldwin’s Kingdom of Jerusalem isn’t coming back anytime soon. The real-world options are limited.
From the standpoint of international law, the Jews were granted territory by the British Empire, recognized by the United Nations, and then defended it through war. Like it or not, under the modern nation-state system, that matters.
But that isn’t Zionism. And it certainly isn’t biblical prophecy.
You can support Israel without subscribing to the relatively novel theology of Christian Zionism. You can like Jews without turning geopolitics into eschatology.
I love the Jews. I grew up in New York. I’m extremely philosemitic. If you told me I had to choose between hanging out with the guys making pastrami sandwiches or the guys making shawarma, I’m choosing pastrami 100 times out of 100. Okay — 999 times out of 1,000.
And you can do that without embracing a theology invented in the 19th century and dressed up as ancient Christianity.
That is clearly what the patriarchs of Jerusalem are saying. And anyone pretending this is antisemitic, radical, or some kind of rupture with tradition is, frankly, completely insane.

Skyline of the Old City in Jerusalem from north, Israel.

Why Christian Zionism Is Not Traditional Christianity

christianity

Jews

Michael Knowles

zionism

Vice President JD Vance on Thursday visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, an ancient church in Jerusalem believed to be the site of both the crucifixion and tomb of Jesus Christ, and one of the holiest Christian sites in the world.
&#8220;What an amazing blessing to have visited the site of Christ&#8217;s death and resurrection,&#8221; the vice president said after his visit. &#8220;I am immensely grateful to the Greek, Armenian, and Catholic priests who care for this most sacred of places. May the Prince of Peace have mercy on us, and bless our efforts for peace.&#8221;
Vance, who is Catholic, spent about 90 minutes inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where he went to confession and attended a private mass.
<div id="attachment_990279" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jd-vance-visits-the-site-of-jesus-christs-death-and-burial-in-jerusalem/g38xmdhwcaaczq2" rel="attachment wp-att-990279"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-990279" class="wp-image-990279 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/G38xMdHWcAACZq2-384x576.jpeg" alt="Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance tour the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Thursday, October 23, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Emily J. Higgins.)" width="384" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/G38xMdHWcAACZq2-384x576.jpeg 384w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/G38xMdHWcAACZq2-200x300.jpeg 200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/G38xMdHWcAACZq2-768x1151.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/G38xMdHWcAACZq2-1025x1536.jpeg 1025w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/G38xMdHWcAACZq2-1360x2040.jpeg 1360w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/G38xMdHWcAACZq2.jpeg 1366w" sizes=" (max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a>Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance tour the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Thursday, October 23, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Emily J. Higgins.)</div>
The church not only holds the &#8220;Tomb of Christ,&#8221; which pilgrims venerate as the site of Jesus Christ&#8217;s burial and resurrection, but also &#8220;Golgatha&#8221; or Calvary, the site of the crucifixion, which pilgrims can climb to via a tall stairwell, the &#8220;Stone of the Anointing,&#8221; where Jesus Christ&#8217;s body is believed to have been prepared for burial, the &#8220;Prison of Christ,&#8221; where Jesus Christ is believed to have been held before he was crucified, the &#8220;Chapel of Adam,&#8221; below Golgatha, believed to be the location where the skull of Adam, documented in the Bible as the father of the human race, was buried.
Constantine the Great <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Holy-Sepulchre">originally built a church on that site</a>, which was dedicated about 336 AD, then burned by the Persians in the year 614 AD, restored by an abbot, destroyed again by an Islamic caliph around 1009, restored by a Byzantine emperor, further rebuilt by Crusaders in the 12th century, and preserved throughout the years until now. The current structure of the church is mostly<a href="https://holysepulchre.com/history"> dated to 1810.</a>
<div id="attachment_990273" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jd-vance-visits-the-site-of-jesus-christs-death-and-burial-in-jerusalem/v20251023eh-0961" rel="attachment wp-att-990273"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-990273" class="wp-image-990273 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0961-864x576.jpg" alt="Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance tourChurch of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Thursday, October 23, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Emily J. Higgins.)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0961-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0961-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0961-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0961-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0961-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0961-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0961-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance tour the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Thursday, October 23, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Emily J. Higgins.)</div>
Vance and his wife visited all the main sites inside the church, according to the vice president&#8217;s print pooler, beginning with the Stone of the Anointing, where a bishop laid out a red pillow for the vice president to kneel on. Vance knelt on the pillow, made the sign of the cross, bowed his head, put his hand on the slab, and prayed. His wife watched as her husband venerated the stone, where the body of Jesus Christ is believed to have been laid out as he was prepared for burial.
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📸 Vice President ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a>⁩ exits the Chapel of the Angel in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre <a href="https://t.co/H0wOerkCBa">pic.twitter.com/H0wOerkCBa</a>
— Luke Schroeder (@Luke__Schroeder) <a href="https://twitter.com/Luke__Schroeder/status/1981362288557719723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
When the Vances went up to Calvary, they each lit a candle. They also lit candles downstairs in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, using a flame that is reportedly transferred by candle from Jesus Christ&#8217;s tomb to that spot every day, meaning that the flame on their candles had been within the tomb.
A bishop who spoke with Vance&#8217;s press pooler, Francesca Chambers of USA Today, shared that he was lighting two white candles from the flame that he intended to send back to the White House. That bishop was the superior of the Armenian side of the church.
&#8220;We are sending these lights to the White House,&#8221; the bishop told Chambers. &#8220;May God bless America, the United States and Armenia and our friendship.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_990275" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jd-vance-visits-the-site-of-jesus-christs-death-and-burial-in-jerusalem/v20251023eh-0297" rel="attachment wp-att-990275"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-990275" class="wp-image-990275 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0297-864x576.jpg" alt="Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance tourChurch of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Thursday, October 23, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Emily J. Higgins.)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0297-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0297-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0297-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0297-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0297-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0297-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/V20251023EH-0297-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance tour the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Thursday, October 23, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Emily J. Higgins.)</div>
Photos of the visit show Vance standing at the Calvary altar in apparent contemplation, lighting a candle, and speaking with the clergy who were guiding him throughout the Christian site.
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<div class="css-175oi2r r-1adg3ll r-1udh08x">&#8220;You guys have been protecting me from bumping my head,&#8221; he joked to the bishops. &#8220;You could join the Secret Service.&#8221;</div>
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Vance is now on his way back to the United States after his visit to Israel, where he slammed a vote in the Israeli Knesset on the annexation of the West Bank.
“The policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel. That will continue to be our policy,” Vance said before he boarded Air Force Two to return home. “And if people want to take symbolic votes, they can do that. But we certainly weren’t happy about it.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#8217;s office said in a statement that &#8220;the Knesset vote on annexation was a deliberate political provocation by the opposition to sow discord during Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Israel.&#8221;
&#8220;The two bills were sponsored by opposition members of the Knesset,&#8221; Netanyahu&#8217;s office said on Thursday. &#8220;The Likud party and the religious parties (the principal coalition members) did not vote for these bills, except for one disgruntled Likud member who was recently fired from the chairmanship of a Knesset committee. Without Likud support these bills are unlikely to go anywhere.&#8221;

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JD Vance Visits The Site Of Jesus Christ’s Death And Burial In Jerusalem

jd vance

usha vance

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Rabbi Yehudah Glick, a former Israeli Knesset member and prominent advocate for Jewish prayer rights on the Temple Mount, has <a href="https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/414920">announced plans</a> to lead a prayer rally in honor of slain American conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Glick, himself a survivor of a 2014 assassination attempt, views Kirk’s death not only as a personal tragedy but as a symbolic attack on values they both championed — faith, freedom of speech, and biblical truth.
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In an emotional interview with Israel National News, Glick expressed deep sorrow over Kirk’s assassination, calling it “a personal shock” and a reminder of the dangers faced by those who speak openly about their values. Drawing a parallel between his own near-fatal shooting and Kirk’s targeted killing, Glick emphasized that people of faith and conviction are often the ones most vulnerable to extremist violence. “Who are the people that are targeted for assassination? It’s people who believe in freedom of speech, but also have truth and faith that they’re willing to speak about,” he said.
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Glick sees Kirk as more than a political figure — he represents a growing and powerful alliance between evangelical Christians and supporters of Israel. Glick described Kirk as a man who lived by biblical principles, including the sanctity of family and respect for religious tradition. He noted that Kirk had shown reverence for the Temple Mount and advocated for the right of all believers to pray there, regardless of faith.
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In tribute to Kirk’s legacy, Glick is organizing a joint Jewish-Christian prayer rally on the Temple Mount just before Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. He chose this symbolic date to align with themes of renewal, creation, and divine justice. The rally, he explained, will be a spiritual gathering of Jews and Christians “calling out together to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Glick’s goal is not only to honor Kirk but also to strengthen the interfaith alliance that he believes is critical to the future of Israel and the world.
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This move is deeply personal for Glick, whose activism has long centered on religious freedom and mutual respect among faiths. Despite <a href="https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/israel-middle-east/articles/yehuda-glick">surviving an attempt on his life</a> in 2014 — shot four times at close range by a Palestinian assailant who accused him of being an “enemy of Al-Aqsa” — Glick remains committed to nonviolence and dialogue. He rejects the notion that his vision for the Temple Mount excludes Muslims. Instead, he envisions it as a “world center for religious tolerance,” where Jews, Christians, and Muslims can all pray freely. “I respect their right to pray, and I don’t bother their prayer. And I expect them to respect my right to pray with them,” Glick stated.
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(For a comprehensive explanation of the centrality of the Temple Mount for Jews, see <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-temple-mount-is-judaisms-holiest-site-and-it-always-has-been-heres-everything-you-need-to-know">here.</a>)
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Glick’s experience of surviving the assassination attempt — an attack that left him severely wounded and hospitalized for weeks — has only strengthened his determination. He continues to lead efforts for greater Jewish access to the Temple Mount and now sees the momentum shifting. Where once he was a lone voice in the religious community, today thousands of Jews, including prominent rabbis, have joined the movement. Glick also founded the organization HaLiba (“The Heart”) and leads tours of the Temple Mount, promoting a peaceful Jewish presence there.
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He is also deeply involved in humanitarian work through Amitim, an Israeli organization supporting widows and orphans. In light of Kirk’s death, Glick sees renewed urgency in supporting families shattered by violence — whether in Israel or abroad.
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Ultimately, Glick’s decision to lead a prayer rally for Kirk is a culmination of his life’s mission: promoting interfaith unity, freedom of worship, and peace through shared biblical values. By bringing Jews and Christians together at the holiest site in Judaism, Glick hopes to send a message that the values Kirk stood for — faith, family, truth, and freedom — will not be silenced, but elevated through prayer, solidarity, and mutual respect.
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ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-JERUSALEM-RELIGION-AL AQSA

Rabbi Who Took 4 Bullets For Religious Freedom To Honor Charlie Kirk With Prayer Rally In Jerusalem

charlie kirk

Prayer

A brutal terror attack shook northern Jerusalem on Monday morning when two Palestinian gunmen opened fire on a crowded city bus at Ramot Junction. The attack, carried out on Line 62 as the bus reached the junction, left <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-866707">at least s</a><a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-866707">ix people dead </a><a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-866707">and dozens more wounded</a>. Witnesses and authorities described a chaotic and horrifying scene with multiple casualties and widespread panic.
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At least 15 people were injured in a shooting in the Ramot area of Jerusalem. 2 terrorists were neutralized. <a href="https://t.co/1u0vmWt132">pic.twitter.com/1u0vmWt132</a>
— Amit Segal (@AmitSegal) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitSegal/status/1964951818288632129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Some media outlets <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/deadly-jerusalem-bus-station-shooting-police/story?id=125353564">reported</a> that the attack took place at a bus stop before passengers boarded.
Among those killed were Yaakov Pinto (25), an immigrant from Spain who had recently married; Rabbi Levi Yitzhak Pash, a yeshiva teacher; Israel Mentzer (28) and Yosef David (43), both residents of Ramot. Later, two other victims, including a woman in her 50s, succumbed to their injuries after being transported to hospitals. At least 21 people were injured, with several in critical or serious condition. The wounded were taken to Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Hadassah-University Hospitals in Ein Kerem and Mount Scopus.
A soldier and several civilians returned fire, killing the two terrorists at the scene. The attackers were later identified as being in their twenties and from Palestinian towns El-Kubeiba and Katanna, near Ramallah. Both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad praised the attack.
Emergency responders described a scene of carnage. Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedics arrived rapidly, finding victims scattered across the road, sidewalks, and near the bus stop. “There was a lot of destruction, shattered glass, and people lying unconscious,” said MDA paramedic Nadav Taib. Multiple paramedics described working on critically wounded victims, including elderly individuals and young adults. MDA and United Hatzalah teams coordinated rapid evacuation efforts, with some victims receiving treatment on-site and others being transported under emergency conditions.
ZAKA volunteer Shimi Grossman <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-866716">described</a> the area as a “battlefield,” with dozens of terrified civilians pointing out the wounded and multiple bodies near a bullet-ridden bus.
Israeli security forces sealed off Jerusalem, shutting down Highway 1 and launching a full-scale manhunt for any accomplices. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) dispatched four companies to Ramallah and surrounding villages for raids, interrogations, and area lockdowns. Authorities are working under the assumption that the attack might have involved logistical support or planning from others. “The Shin Bet security agency has arrested a resident of East Jerusalem on suspicion of helping carry out this morning’s deadly shooting attack in Jerusalem, Channel 12 reports,” The Times of Israel <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-september-8-2025/">reported</a>.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-866735">visited the scene</a> shortly after the attack. “We are in an intense war against terror on several fronts,” he declared. He praised the heroism of those who acted quickly, including an ultra-Orthodox soldier from the Hashmonaim Battalion who helped neutralize the attackers. Netanyahu vowed to continue military operations in Gaza, Judea, and Samaria, promising that such attacks would only strengthen Israel’s resolve.
President Isaac Herzog condemned the attack as an act of “absolute evil” and highlighted the bravery of civilians and responders. “In the face of this barbarity, we saw extraordinary acts of heroism,” he said. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, speaking from Budapest, urged the international community to make a clear choice between supporting Israel or siding with jihadist terrorism.
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This is the evil Israel faces. Two terrorists opened fire on a bus in Jerusalem — targeting passengers, bystanders, anyone in reach.
5 murdered. Over a dozen wounded.
The war Israel fights is for all who stand against terror. <a href="https://t.co/bjz1zdkii7">pic.twitter.com/bjz1zdkii7</a>
&mdash; Israel ישראל (@Israel) <a href="https://twitter.com/Israel/status/1964984409343590658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Reuters: Calls it a “suspected” shooting attack in Jerusalem.
BBC: Puts “terrorists” in quotation marks.
Reuters: “The bus was on a street that leads to Jewish settlements.”
You can’t hate legacy media enough. <a href="https://t.co/kNTxas0WeV">pic.twitter.com/kNTxas0WeV</a>
&mdash; The Persian Jewess (@persianjewess) <a href="https://twitter.com/persianjewess/status/1964998097798643938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Did you know the Palestinian Authority (not even Hamas) pays its people to murder Jews?
The PA claims to have curbed the practice earlier this year in order to keep millions in U.S. Foreign Aid flowing, but all they did was add a requirement for families of these terrorists to… <a href="https://t.co/6WxWJi5C4b">https://t.co/6WxWJi5C4b</a>
— Joel Berry (@JoelWBerry) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoelWBerry/status/1965017255365705936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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5 murdered in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem this morning
The man who will financially reward the families of the killers is being treated to a warm welcome by 🇬🇧 PM Starmer today <a href="https://t.co/wXngIUUJnG">pic.twitter.com/wXngIUUJnG</a>
&mdash; Laura Cellier (@laura_i24) <a href="https://twitter.com/laura_i24/status/1964968625313583125?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Palestinian terrorist attacks against Israelis have been common for decades. Among the myriad cases were the 2011 <a href="https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/palestinian-terrorism/today-we-remember-the-fogel-family-massacre/">massacre</a> of the Fogel family, whose father, mother, two sons, 11 and 4, as well as their three month-old sister, who was stabbed in her crib, were killed in their home; the abduction and murder of three teenage boys, Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaer, and Naftali Frankel, who were hitchhiking in Gush Etztion in 2014, and before that, of course, the Second Intifada.
According to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Institute_for_Counter-Terrorism">International Institute for Counter-Terrorism</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilian_casualties_in_the_Second_Intifada">during</a> the Second Intifada, 887 of the 1,137 Israelis killed in attacks from September 2000 to 2005 were civilians.
Just between May 2001 and May 2002, prior to the bombing at Hebrew University, there were these massacres: five Israelis murdered by a suicide bomber at the HaSharon Mall in May 2001; 21 Israelis murdered by a suicide bomber at the Dolphinarium Discotheque in June 2001; 15 Israelis murdered by a suicide bomber at Sbarro’s Pizza in August 2001, including six children and a 31-year-old woman who was the only child of her parents and was five months pregnant; 11 Israelis murdered in a bus bombing on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem on December 1, 2001; 15 more Israelis murdered the very next day in a Haifa suicide bombing; 11 more Israelis murdered in a bus attack 10 days later in Immanuel; six Israelis murdered in an attack at a bat-mitzvah in January 2002; 11 more Jews killed in an attack on a yeshiva in March 2002, including a five-month-old child; 11 Jews murdered in a bombing at Café Moment in March 2002; 30 Israelis killed as they celebrated Passover in Netanya on March 27, 2002; 16 Israelis murdered in a suicide bombing four days later at the Matza restaurant, and 16 Israelis murdered in Rishon LeZion in May 2002.

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