JERUSALEM, April 5, 2026 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation measures and restrictions dominated Easter celebrations in Jerusalem this year, preventing Palestinian Christians from reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as Israeli police established military checkpoints and metal barriers along the roads leading to the church and searched some worshippers who were allowed near the site.
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, arrived shortly after dawn, accompanied by several clergymen, greeted those present and extended Easter greetings, then held Mass behind closed doors inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for a very limited number of attendees, in an atmosphere far removed from the Easter celebrations of previous years. Christians waiting outside the church attempted to enter, but Israeli occupation forces barred their entry.
Jerusalem has witnessed strict military measures since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, with occupation authorities keeping Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre closed for the 37th consecutive day.
Last week, the Latin Patriarch was also denied entry to the church to celebrate Palm Sunday, prompting widespread anger and condemnation.
In Gaza, Christians celebrated Easter despite the harsh humanitarian conditions caused by the ongoing Israeli war, even with a ceasefire in place.
Christians held Easter Mass at the historic St. Porphyrius Church in central Gaza, which still bears the scars of the Israeli genocidal war that began on October 7, 2023. The church was struck several times during the Israeli offensive on the Strip, most notably on October 19, 2023, when Israeli forces targeted one of its buildings, killing 18 Christians and Muslims who had taken shelter there to escape the airstrikes.
The church also served as a refuge for dozens of Christian families whose homes were damaged or completely destroyed during the Israeli offensive.
Ahmad Tibi, head of the Joint List and Arab Change faction in the 1948 territories, criticized the Israeli Supreme Court’s ruling on demonstrations, saying it confirms that restrictions in Al-Aqsa are purely political and racist.
Tibi added that the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision permitting demonstrations of up to 600 participants, along with the large-scale Purim celebrations that took place without any obstacles, clearly demonstrates that there is no security justification for the restrictions at Al-Aqsa Mosque and that they represent a blatant violation of freedom of worship.
He added that Israeli police use violence and force against worshippers at Bab al-Sahira and the entrances of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, while turning a blind eye to other Jewish gatherings, stressing that this reflects a selective and racist enforcement of regulations motivated solely by political and racial considerations.
Tibi called for the immediate reopening of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to worshippers and for the Islamic Waqf Committee to be allowed to carry out its role at the mosque.
T.R.
