Religious Freedom News

"Restrictions on Palestinian Christians' Holy Land Easter Observance"

Palestinian Christians are facing unprecedented restrictions on entering Jerusalem's Old City to celebrate Easter, with usual crowds of international worshippers absent and at least 200 leaders from the occupied West Bank given permits to enter the area, but their congregations not allowed access. The Old City is unusually empty due to the war in Gaza, and Palestinian Christians are desperate to visit their places of worship, but are being denied access. The restrictions have increased this year, making it very difficult for Palestinian Christians to access Jerusalem, and the war has added to their pain. Israeli settlers have made the Old City an almost no-go zone, attacking churches, Christian cemeteries, priests, nuns, and pilgrims, while Palestinian Christians have been deprived of walking the Via Dolorosa this year.