As Christians around the world prepare to celebrate Easter, Palestinians in the land that gave birth to the religion face tight restrictions on entry into Jerusalem’s Old City to mark the occasion.
Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, the usual crowds of worshipers have been absent and Palestinians have faced “unprecedented” restrictions. According to the report, some Palestinian Christians are not allowed to participate in religious activities and are not even allowed to visit places of worship. Al Jazeera.
“Palestinian Christians in the West Bank are people who want to come to the Old City and celebrate Easter, but they are not allowed,” said Imran Khan, a reporter for the news agency.
“These are very dark and difficult days. I think the restrictions have definitely increased this year. Even for us here in Bethlehem – and Jerusalem is literally 20 minutes away – we don’t have access. Jerusalem is very important to us, especially at Easter. We are used to praying in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Christian church). This is part of our daily life under occupation. The war has increased our pain because of the scale of death and killings,” said Father Munter Isaac. .
According to some reports, security and control in the city of Jerusalem have become more apparent since the conflict began, causing some discomfort among residents who say they are constantly stopped to show their identification documents. In some cases, security forces resort to violence.
In accordance with Al JazeeraEven before the war, Palestinian Christians had to ask permission to visit the Old City long before the celebrations. Last year, the Greek Orthodox Church criticized what it called Israel’s “harsh restrictions” on religious freedom during Easter.
Israeli police said the restrictions were necessary for security reasons during the “Holy Fire” celebrations at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, during which flames taken from Jesus’ tomb in the church are used to light worshipers’ candles.