Best Podcasts on Israeli Police & Cardinal Incident
Updated: Mar 31, 2026 – 8 episodes
Israeli police initially blocked Cardinal Pizzaballa from entering Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Palm Sunday service, causing international backlash before reversing the decision. Separately, the IDF faced scrutiny after detaining a CNN crew in the West Bank, adding to regional tensions.
Three very different takes here — start with The Megyn Kelly Show for a mixed perspective on the incident where Cardinal Pizzaballa was blocked from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Megyn Kelly discusses the implications for global religious sensibilities and Israel's safety concerns. For a more critical view, Bannon's War Room offers several episodes highlighting the diplomatic fallout and the perceived affront to religious freedoms. Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar delves into the broader societal tensions in Israel, making it a compelling listen for understanding the context behind the incident.
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Ridealong has curated the best podcasts and clips about Israeli police temporarily prevent cardinal from attending Palm Sunday mass. Listen now.
Podcast Episodes Covering This Story
“This incident is a grave precedent and disregards the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who, during this week, look to Jerusalem. They say it was, quote, 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. This, as Israel has closed the holy sites in the city, like the Western Wall, to public access for fear of attacks by Iran.”
Ridealong summary
The incident of blocking Cardinal Pizzaballa from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a grave precedent that disregards global religious sensibilities, yet Israel cites safety concerns amid tensions with Iran.
“This incident is a grave precedent and disregards the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who during this week look to Jerusalem. Preventing the entry of the Cardinal and the Custos, who bear the highest ecclesiastical responsibility for the Catholic Church in the holy places, constitutes a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure. This hasty and fundamentally flawed decision, tainted by improper considerations, represents an extreme departure from basic principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship, and respect for the status quo.”
Ridealong summary
The Israeli police's decision to block the cardinal from attending Palm Sunday Mass was a blunder, reflecting poor planning and a disregard for religious freedoms.
“And on the international stage, this has already become a diplomatic scandal with the Vatican has now summoned the Israeli ambassador. The foreign minister of Italy has summoned the Israeli ambassador. We've seen the prime minister of Italy, George Maloney, has come out and condemned this. President Macron of France has condemned this. And, of course, President Noworowski of Poland, who just spoke at CPAC yesterday, massive crowd there, massive reception at CPAC yesterday. He has come out and condemned this as well.”
Ridealong summary
The blocking of the cardinal on Palm Sunday is a diplomatic scandal that has drawn international condemnation and highlights the tensions around religious freedoms in Israel.
“But it comes in this larger context of an Israeli society where this kind of sectarian chauvinism, to which the Jews themselves had long been subjected, you know, elsewhere has now become increasingly prevalent. You know, the sort of the youths who go around roughing up Catholic owned or Christian owned businesses that attempts to squeeze out the Armenian quarter, the spitting on Christian evangelizers and this kind of stuff.”
Ridealong summary
The incident with the cardinal highlights a growing sectarian chauvinism in Israeli society, exacerbated by leadership with extremist views.
“"So this was an egregious mistake by the Israeli government in the thing itself, because the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem should not, under any circumstances whatsoever, be prevented from going to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, much less on Palm Sunday... But just from a PR perspective, it was a huge mistake."”
Ridealong summary
Israel had no right to prevent the Latin Patriarch from attending Palm Sunday mass, and the incident was a significant PR blunder for the Israeli government.
“Imagine, for the first time in centuries, since the Ottoman rule, hundreds and hundreds of years ago, Christians are denied to have mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This is truly unprecedented times. I cannot see any legitimate reason security-wise to ban people from going to mass. It is a horrific affront to Christianity, and every Catholic, evangelical, every Orthodox in America should be irate about it.”
Ridealong summary
The blocking of Cardinal Pizzaballa from attending Palm Sunday mass is an unprecedented affront to Christianity and highlights disrespect for religious freedoms in Jerusalem.
“To me really, Tucker, this comes down to a consequence of the evil that we see, that we're witnessing. And I think we need to pay attention to it in that context...the closure of that and not allowing the procession of Palm Sunday is a tragic consequence of just how far off the mark really the world is at this point in so many ways.”
Ridealong summary
The closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday is a tragic consequence of global moral failings and highlights the unacceptable nature of restricting religious practices.
“"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's something that we're appreciative of. Of course, if they weren't Israelis and they were Islamists, those Christian holy sites would be obliterated right now, wouldn't they, Rich? That's what the Taliban did."”
Ridealong summary
The Israeli police's temporary prevention of Cardinal Pizzaballa from attending Palm Sunday mass is portrayed as a necessary security measure rather than a religious bias, contrasting with the lack of international outrage over Iranian threats to holy sites.