The Palestinian Presidency today condemned and rejected Israeli restrictions on Christians accessing the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem’s Old City to take part in the annual Holy Fire ceremony that takes place on Saturday as part of the Easter celebrations for the Orthodox churches. “We strongly support the demands of the Jerusalem churches to allow free access and without problems for Christian pilgrims to attend the Saturday Holy Light ceremonies,” it said in a statement, stressing that ‘the continuous attacks against the religious places in Jerusalem are a dangerous escalation, the consequences of which are borne by the Israeli occupation authority that insists on increasing tension and creating a climate of chaos and violence while bragging before the world of its commitment to preserving the historical and religious status quo in Jerusalem.’ The Presidency called on all pilgrims to go to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and participate in the celebration and the activities of the Holy Light on Saturday, and to worship freely and in peace, calling on the international community, particularly the US administration, “to intervene immediately to stop these Israeli crimes, which affect the freedom of worship of Christian and Muslim believers alike.”
Source: Palestine News & Information Agency (WAFA)