April 20, 2025 | 03:24 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israeli authorities on Saturday restricted Christian worshippers from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in occupied Jerusalem, where they had gathered to celebrate Holy Saturday, a significant day during the Easter weekend.
According to the Palestinian state news agency WAFA, as reported by Anadolu, Israeli police established military checkpoints along the roads leading to the church in the Old City, checking IDs and barring entry for many young individuals.
The access limitations were enforced as Christians commemorated Holy Saturday, one of the most sacred days in the Christian calendar, observed by various denominations in anticipation of Easter Sunday.
WAFA reported that Israeli authorities prevented thousands of West Bank Christians from entering Jerusalem for the event, applying strict permit requirements for Palestinian Muslims and Christians.
Church sources told WAFA that only 6,000 permits were issued to West Bank Christians this year. The total number of Christians in all of Palestine is 50,000.
Despite the limitations, Christian pilgrims continue to make the journey to Jerusalem each year to perform the Holy Fire ritual, which takes place at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The location is believed to be the site of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.
However, Israel's security measures have repeatedly disrupted the celebrations.
For the second consecutive year, participation in the Holy Week and Easter ceremonies appears to have decreased due to the intense Israeli attacks in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Churches have also scaled back all celebration activities and parades for Easter, limiting observance to religious worship and prayer only.
Tensions continue to rise in the occupied West Bank, where at least 952 Palestinians have lost their lives and over 7,000 have been injured since the onset of the Gaza war in October 2023, based on Palestinian sources.
In July 2024, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories is unlawful, calling for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
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