Israeli Restrictions on Christian Worship in Jerusalem Undermine Holy Sites
A letter reviewed by The Times of Israel contradicts allegations by church leaders that Israel Police was unnecessarily infringing on Christians’ freedom of worship during the Holy Fire ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The letter indicates that restrictions on the ceremony were imposed at the request of a Greek Orthodox official due to safety concerns. Israel says it wants to prevent another disaster after a crowd crush at a packed Jewish holy site in 2021 left 45 people dead. Attendance is limited to 1,800 people inside the church, which Greek Orthodox officials said was a fraction of previous years.