Occupation measures prevented West Bank Christians from reaching Jerusalem and participating in the “Good Friday” celebration (Anatolia)

As Christians around the world prepare to celebrate Easter, Palestinians in the land where this religion was born are facing strict restrictions on entering the Old City of Jerusalem to celebrate this occasion, coinciding with a devastating aggression on the Gaza Strip since last October 7.

The Palestinian Christian sects of the Western calendar commemorated what is known as “Good Friday” in the occupied city of Jerusalem, amid strict Israeli military restrictions and measures on the checkpoints surrounding the city and in the vicinity of the Old City.

Hundreds of worshipers participated in the “Way of the Cross” procession on the “Via Dolorosa” in the Old City, all the way to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, chanting prayers and religious hymns.

The occupation authorities prevent Palestinian Christians from the West Bank from reaching Jerusalem except with special permits and in limited numbers, while foreign tourists avoid reaching the region due to the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

The commemoration of “Good Friday” this year coincides with unprecedented restrictions in Jerusalem and an ongoing aggression against Gaza (Anatolia)

Hard celebration

The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, presided over a mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher within the walls of the Old City, with the assistance of a group of bishops, priests, deacons, monks and nuns, and with the participation of Christians - the majority of whom are from the city of Jerusalem and the 1948 territories - after the Israeli occupation deprived thousands of West Bank Christians of access to Jerusalem.

Cardinal Pizzaballa said, "War, with all the violence, hatred, suffering and death it brings, makes celebrating the holiday difficult."

He added in his Thursday sermon, "In reality, Easter is never easy unless we want to limit it to ancient rituals or consider it a holiday like all other holidays."

He continued, "If the purpose of the celebration is only to take a break from work and spend an enjoyable time that makes daily life easier, then there is certainly not much room this year for fun and entertainment, but rather for pain and tears."

 "Good Friday" and "Holy Saturday" precede Easter celebrations (Anatolia)

Unprecedented restrictions

For his part, Al Jazeera's correspondent in occupied Jerusalem said that at least 200 Christian figures from the occupied West Bank had been granted permits to enter the city.

The reporter stated that the restrictions were “unprecedented” as a procession of worshipers, much smaller than the usual “Good Friday” crowds, walked through the Via Dolorosa, the path that Jesus is said to have followed on his way to his crucifixion more than two thousand years ago.

In turn, Pastor Munther Ishaq said, speaking to Al Jazeera from Bethlehem in the West Bank, “These are very dark days, very difficult days,” noting that “the restrictions this year have definitely increased, even for us here in Bethlehem, Jerusalem is literally 20 minutes away from here.” But we don't have access."

He continued, "This is part of our daily life under the occupation. The war has increased our pain due to the extent of death and killing."

Christians of the world avoided heading to Jerusalem due to the continuing war on Gaza (Anatolia)

No tourist sales

For his part, Fayez Al-Daqqaq, the owner of a family store that sells religious souvenirs, said he did not expect any sales.

He added, "If you are passing through any gate - whether it is the Damascus Gate, the New Gate, or the Jaffa Gate - and the police officer or soldier feels that you are not Israeli, you will be stopped and searched."

He continued, "While some members of the security forces directly verify identity cards, others are more "violent."

As the war raged, crowds from around the world did not arrive in Jerusalem to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which dates back to the 12th century, the site where Christ is believed to have been crucified, buried, and resurrected.

Settler violence

In turn, Rafi, the Christian youth coordinator in Jerusalem, said that the Israeli settlers have made the Old City “almost a no-go zone,” noting that “even before the war began, we saw settlers attacking churches and even Christian cemeteries.”

Even before the war, Palestinian Christians had to request permission to visit the Old City long before the celebrations.

Last year, the Greek Orthodox Church criticized what it described as "strict restrictions" imposed by Israel on freedom of worship during Easter, while the Israeli police said that the restrictions were necessary for safety during that time.

Western Christian churches celebrate the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, which precedes the celebration of Easter on Sunday.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies