Israeli police restrict participation in Christian Holy Fire ritual in Jerusalem

By Zain Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) — Israeli police on Saturday restricted access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in occupied East Jerusalem for Orthodox Christians who wanted to attend the Holy Fire ceremony.

Police tightened measures and set up barriers at the entryways of Jerusalem's Old City, especially at the New Gate near the Christian holy site, eyewitnesses told Anadolu.

This came a day after Christian denominations following the Eastern calendar observed Good Friday, which is followed by the Holy Fire celebration, leading up to Easter Sunday.

Police also prevented Christians from the occupied West Bank from getting into the city, as permits for their entry into Jerusalem have been refused since October last year, when Israel launched its Gaza offensive after a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas.

Hundreds of Israeli security personnel were deployed in the Old City since early in the morning to "secure the worshippers and accompany processions and visitors," the police said in a statement.

"The purpose of the police activity was to allow thousands of Christians who participated in the celebration the freedom of worship and to hold the celebration safely," added the statement.

It said the restrictions were put in place to "maintain safety and security."

"Crowd control measures were implemented in the area of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and in the adjacent areas of the Old City, according to the amount of crowds and the maximum possible capacity in the church's premises, as determined by an engineer representing the churches."

Considered one of the holy places of Christianity, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is located in occupied East Jerusalem. It is of great importance to Christians who believe that Jesus Christ was crucified there and then ascended to heaven.

Church prayers and mass are held in major Palestinian cities in observance of Holy Fire, which is the last day of Holy Week for Christians, when they prepare for Easter Sunday.

Religious rituals were held this year in churches following the Eastern calendar in the cities of Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem.

- Mourning tens of thousands killed in Gaza

The Israeli curbs came after the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem said there would be restrictions in this year's Holy Fire celebrations in East Jerusalem against the backdrop of Israel's deadly onslaught on the Gaza Strip and mourning the over 34,600 Palestinians killed.

Issa Musleh, a spokesperson for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, told Anadolu that Palestinian Christians are not prepared to celebrate while the "war on Gaza continues and siege on Jerusalem persists."

"We do not celebrate because of the bloody events in Gaza, in our dear homeland Palestine, and the killings of children, elderly, and women, and the destruction of homes, and because the Palestinian has become worthless to the watching world, and I regret this," he said.

"Where is the conscience of the world and the free people of the world regarding what is happening in the Holy Land, our beloved homeland, Palestine?" he asked.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 Hamas incursion, which killed less than 1,200 people.

Tel Aviv, in comparison, has killed more than 34,600 Palestinians and wounded over 77,900 amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities in the Palestinian territory.

Nearly seven months into the Israeli onslaught, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave’s population into internal displacement besides a crippling blockade on food, clean water, and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in January issued an interim ruling that ordered Tel Aviv to prevent genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala