Ambassador Huckabee slams reports accusing Israel of closing Christian and Muslim holy sites

Following the start of the Iran war and the launching of multiple waves of ballistic missile attacks at Israel, the Israeli government announced the closure of several significant holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem. 

The closures were instituted after Iranian ballistic missiles targeted the city of Jerusalem, causing shrapnel and missile fragments to fall in the vicinity of several important religious and archaeological sites in Israel’s capital. 

The closure was announced by Brig. Gen. Hisham Ibrahim, the head of Israel’s Civil Administration, shortly after the war started. 

“The State of Israel is committed to freedom of worship and religion, and has allowed this during the first two weeks of the blessed month of Ramadan, but the axis of death led by Iran endangers everyone’s lives through its continued launching of rockets toward Israel and the entire region,” Ibrahim said at the time. 

“For this reason, and in accordance with the instructions of Israel’s Home Front Command, and to preserve public safety and protect people, all holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem, including the Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, will remain closed tomorrow, Friday, and worshippers and visitors of all religions will not be allowed to enter.” 

Following several other shrapnel impacts in the vicinity of the Old City over the next few days of the war, that closure was extended. 

However, despite giving a clear reasoning for the closure and stating that it affects religious sites of the three major religions, several Arab and Muslim leaders slammed Israel over the decision. 

The official Palestinian Authority TV channel claimed on March 9 that the closure of the Al Aqsa Mosque was done to enable Jews to carry out a Passover sacrifice on the Temple Mount. A couple of days later, the Hamas-affiliated Quds News Network ran a story blaming Israel for closing the Al-Aqsa Mosque during “Ramadan’s holiest nights.” 

That report failed to mention the closure of both Jewish and Christian holy sites adjacent to the Temple Mount. 

The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded with a video showing the empty Western Wall plaza, where thousands of Jews normally gather daily for prayer. 

“Jerusalem’s holy sites stand empty for one reason: protecting worshippers,” the ministry stated. “The same safety measures apply to the Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.” 

Jerusalem’s holy sites stand empty for one reason: protecting worshippers. The same safety measures apply to the Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

While the Iranian regime fires missiles at civilians of all religions - even toward Jerusalem’s… pic.twitter.com/34DVmaT3tD

— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) March 14, 2026

Several Islamic nations protested the closure, including Qatar and Turkey. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan claimed that Israel was keeping the mosque closed “without any authority and for completely arbitrary reasons.” 

Turkish President Erdogan:

Israel has been keeping Al-Aqsa Mosque closed to Muslim worship for 17 days without any authority and for completely arbitrary reasons. pic.twitter.com/OOVF0bjRXX

— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 17, 2026

Following the outrage, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said those complaining were omitting important facts about the closure. 

“Reports Israel has closed [the] Church of Holy Sepulcher & Al Aksa Mosque omit [an] important fact - the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, is also closed,” Huckabee wrote in a post to 𝕏. “A large piece of Iranian missile landed in courtyard at Church of the Holy Sepulcher. If not closed, mass casualties.” 

Israelis also noted the failure of the Islamic complaints to mention the Iranian missile attacks on Israel, which also endanger the Islamic religious sites in the land, and have killed several Palestinians since the war began. 

Eight Islamic countries say Israel closing the Temple Mount to Muslim worshippers is “discriminatory” and violates international law.

The Western Wall is also closed. Schools are closed. Many workplaces are closed. Gatherings over 50 are banned. There’s a war. https://t.co/VfTejmtDme

— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) March 11, 2026

Israel’s Home Front Command instituted an across-the-board ban on public gatherings of more than 50 people following the outbreak of the war, which led to closure of schools, many work sites, and religious institutions which lack sufficient shelter to hold large numbers of people.