Source: REMIX
Israeli police and military prevented Christians from participating in religious ceremonies on Easter Sunday. Faithful, including the papal nuncio, were blocked from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in East Jerusalem, reports Do Rzeczy.
Israeli police set up checkpoints on roads leading to the church in the Old City, with many worshipers refused entry, including Papal Nuncio Adolfo Tito Yllana. Since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, obtaining the necessary permit to travel to Jerusalem has become almost impossible.
While it was reported that the papal nuncio was eventually allowed through, the account Catholic Arena had posted that he had been prevented from doing so, with images of him clearly blockaded with others and Israeli soldiers standing guard.
Others called the Palestinians out for lying, saying this was simply a checkpoint, but the papal nuncio is clearly waiting, with no one seemingly checking anyone and with no intention shown that anyone would be getting through, which was reportedly the case for most.
Disturbing footage was also circulated online of Israeli soldiers getting violent with worshippers, with one soldier point-blank pointing a gun at a Christian’s head.
Another post shows a priest being forcibly pushed back.
Do Rzeczy reminds readers that what happened on Sunday is nothing new. In 2023, Palestinian Christian worshippers and foreign pilgrims were beaten by Israeli officers as they tried to reach the Church of the Holy Sepulcher for the holiday as well. Israel contends that their restrictions and actions are justified on security grounds, while many Christians see them as just another way for the state of Israel to impose its dominance.
“One of the uniformed officers stepped on the Stone of Anointing in the temple, on which the body of Jesus was supposed to be prepared for burial. When one of the faithful pointed this out, another policeman forcibly removed him from the Basilica,” reports the Kresy.pl portal.
“This Easter, the Israeli government announced that it had issued 6,000 permits, even though 50,000 Christians are living in the West Bank outside East Jerusalem – mostly Catholics or Orthodox. However, Israeli opposition media reports that in reality only 4,000 were issued, and often only to a few members of each family that applied,” reports Kresy.pl.
The permits are valid for only a week and do not allow Palestinian pilgrims to stay overnight in Jerusalem, meaning they must make the grueling return journey to the West Bank by bus or taxi, passing through multiple Israeli army checkpoints that limit participation in the festivities.
On Good Friday, just before Easter Sunday, PM Netanyahu continued Israel’s bombing campaign, with nearly 60 killed, according to Al Jazeera. A reporter on the ground told the paper that Christians were “holding onto their faith” and celebrating Easter “at one of the oldest churches in the world.”
“In Gaza, Good Friday is the power of faith and the quiet strength of those who still believe in peace even when the world around them is nothing but a stage filled with violence and death,” the reporter told the paper.
“This Easter, I’m particularly mindful of the often-overlooked struggles faced by approximately 185,000 Palestinian Christians living in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Around 140,000 hold Israeli citizenship, 45,000 reside in the West Bank, and about 500 remain in Gaza,” wrote Ed Gaskin for the Times of Israel.
“Palestinian Christians are largely committed to nonviolence, but they suffer the same as other Palestinians who don’t share their nonviolent belief,” he added.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted a “Happy Easter” message with a photo of Israeli soldiers in what appears to be a combat operation, guns ready. And the lavender flower-like drawings around the text are eerily similar to the gray clouds of exploded bombs.
Thankfully, believers persevered and some images were captured, proving that not all Christian voices can be drowned out nor their beliefs ignored.