White House raises concerns over Jerusalem access restrictions for Christians, stays silent on Al-Aqsa closure

WASHINGTON, United States (MNTV) – The United States has raised concerns with Israel over access restrictions imposed on Christian holy sites in Jerusalem during Holy Week, while remaining publicly silent on the closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque, which Palestinian officials say has been sealed for approximately one month.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Washington had raised the issue directly with Israeli officials.

“We want worshippers to be able to access these holy sites,” she said, noting that Israeli authorities are working on security arrangements to reopen the sites throughout Holy Week. The comments followed Israeli police measures that temporarily restricted entry to key Christian sites, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where access for Palm Sunday services was briefly blocked.

Neither the White House nor the State Department has publicly commented on the closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque, which Palestinian officials have described as unprecedented since 1967, linking it to heightened tensions since the onset of the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran on February 28. The mosque’s closure has drawn sharp criticism from Muslim-majority nations.