BETHLEHEM, April 5, 2011 (WAFA) – Palestine’s Christians demanded Monday freedom of access and movement to reach the holy places in Jerusalem without Israeli intervention.
A statement published by the Palestinian Christians called on the international community to intervene to facilitate freedom of entry of Christians to Jerusalem to worship during the Easter holiday.
“For Christians, Holy Week in Jerusalem has a special spiritual connection,” said the statement. “The Old City (of Jerusalem), its gates and roads, the Mount of Olives, Via Dolorosa and The Holy Sepulchre Church, where pilgrims from all over the world journey to, are equally important to the Palestinian Christians of Gaza and the West bank, who want to join their Jerusalemite Christian brethren in the liturgical events leading to the resurrection, the holiest celebration in Christianity,” it said.
“In every country that respects and implements freedom of worship, worshippers of different faiths live their faith and express their prayers without restrictions from the governing authorities. In Jerusalem, and for the past decade, this has not been the case. The occupying power is denying free access to holy places of worship to both Christians and Muslims on several important occasions,” it added.
West Bank and Gaza Christians are required to apply for Israeli military-issued permits to access their holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem. It is estimated that of those, only 2000 to 3000 Palestinian Christians receive permits.
“The permit system instated by Israel is in obvious violation of the ICPRR, Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international covenants and treaties to which Israel is a signatory,” said the statement. “Regardless of the number of people from the local congregation allowed to participate in the celebrations, we reject the imposition of a permit/quota system to access our churches and shrines,” it said.
Since Easter coincides with the Jewish Passover holiday, a military closure is usually imposed on the West Bank and Gaza Strip automatically cancelling permits since closure means Palestinian residents of the West Bank and Gaza will not be allowed to cross into Israeli territory, including East Jerusalem annexed by Israel shortly after its 1967 occupation.
The statement also complained that heavy presence of Israeli police and military forces around and in the Old City and surrounding the holy sites preventing Christians from accessing the Holy Sepulcher Church and the Old City “disturbs the spiritual atmosphere of Easter, especially when Israeli commanders are around and inside the Tomb of Christ.”
The statement rejected Israeli police claims that the heavy presence of the police force is for the security of the worshippers, stressing that “our prayers and holding of candles are signs of peace and should not threaten the might of the Israeli police. There is no need or justification for a fully charged army and police force.”
“Actions taken against Palestinian Christians, the first and oldest Christian community in the world, attack not only the Palestinian people and their rights in the occupied city of Jerusalem, but in reality, the whole Christianity,” said the statement.
