http://www.christatthecheckpoint.com
http://www.pcpj.org/
http://www.kairospalestine.ps
http://www.bethlehemaffirmation.com/
Factsheet
Israeli Zionist Restrictions on Easter Celebrations in Occupied Jerusalem
“Christians all over the world can celebrate Easter, but for Christian Palestinians, the Israeli Zionist military occupation have made of everyday a good Friday (sad Friday in Arabic), and we are still waiting for our own resurrection as a free nation.” Fr. Firas Areedah, Jifna, Palestine.
Restrictions on the Freedom of Worship:
• Entry to Jerusalem for West Bank and Gaza Christians is always restricted. On the occasion of Easter, Palestinian Christians living outside of Jerusalem in the West Bank and Gaza are being required to apply for permits to access their holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem. It is estimated that of those, only 2000 – 3000 Palestinian Christians have received permits. Jews do not have to apply for permits to access their holy sites during their holy days nor in any other day.
• The permit system instated by Israel is in obvious violation of the ICPRR, Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international covenants and treaties to which Israel is a signatory.
• Worshipers will be restricted by road blocks and check points around the West Bank and the Old City of Jerusalem.
• This year, buses going to Jerusalem from Ramallah and Bethlehem with worshipers planning to attend the Palm Sunday procession were stopped on the way by Israeli occupation forces (IOF). Many were unable to attend the historic procession.
Example: The Holy Family Scout Group, which belongs to the Roman Catholic Church in Ramallah, took four hours to reach occupied Jerusalem. They missed the procession from the Mount of Olives to the Old City. The drive, without checkpoints, would take about 20 minutes.
• During Jewish holidays, Palestinian areas are put under military closure.
• Palestinian Christians living in Jerusalem and the West Bank were denied entry to the Old City for the first two days of the holy week.
• Israeli Zionist military occupation police banned Palestinian Christians and scout groups from flying the Palestinian flag during the Palm Sunday procession.
• The heavy presence of Israeli Zionist Police and Military forces (around and in the Old City and surrounding the holy sites) disturbs the spiritual traditions of Easter.
• Every year Christians try to spiritually connect Bethlehem, the city were Jesus was born with city were the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus have taken place. This connection is made through the traditional Sunday Palm march, in which this year many Palestinians and foreign supporters were arrested on their way. The two spiritual centers for Christians are separated by a complex network of apartheid walls, checkpoints and apparatuses.
• Last year, Israel prevented Palestinian Christians from attending the Holy Fire Saturday in Jerusalem. This year the church has objected to a permit system that was instated in an effort to limit those who attend the Saint Jacob church to witness the lightening of the Holy Fire. So far, Palestinian Christians are uncertain about what kind of restrictions they will face this Easter weekend.
Israeli Zionist Colony Activity in the Christian Quarter is changing the Face of the Old City:
Along the Via Dolorosa, the path on which Christians believe Jesus was taken from captivity to the cross, there are the 14 ‘Stations of the Cross’. Colony activity is prominent at most of those Stations:
o At Station 1: There is colony activity at the exit from the tunnels under the Old City.
o At Station 3: A colony building – the house of former Israeli terrorist Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, which was confiscated from the Palestinian Christian Francis Tams.
o At Station 5: A heavily protected colony located over Christian Palestinian homes and shops has changed the landscape of the station, where it is believed by Christians that Jesus fell the first time on his way to the crucifixion.
o At Station 9: Colony located over the Souq (market) going to Al Aqsa compound, visible from the Coptic neighborhood.
o At Stations 11, 12, 13 and 14 (Holy Sepulcher): The Moristan colony, known by Palestinians as Saint John. This property confiscation led to the forced eviction and cleansing of an estimated 44 Christian Palestinian families. Zionist Colonists have also taken over a Christian Monastery located in front of the Holy Sepulcher.
o There have been reports of hundreds of attacks by heavily armed Jewish religious colonists against Christian pastors, bishops, and nuns from all denominations, as well as Christian Palestinian civilians, in the Old City of Jerusalem.
o Zionist Colony activity in the Christian Quarter in the old city of Jerusalem has increased lately, aiming to change the identity of the place. Examples: Work nearby the Jaffa Gate, threats to close the Petra and Empire hotels within the Old City.
The number of Palestinian Christians in 1948 was more than 20% out of the total population, since then it has declined to 10% in 1967 and 2% today. This decline has been attributed to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in 1948, the occupation and the continuous harassment and humiliation of the Palestinian people in the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem.
For information, please contact:
Nadia Awad, GMC, 00972 54 534 9671
Xavier Abu Eid, NSU, 00970 598 950 300
Father Firas Areedah (available for interviews) 00970 599 325 957
Yusef Daher, Jerusalem Inter-Church Centre 00972 50 554 5179
http://www.christatthecheckpoint.com
http://www.pcpj.org/
http://www.kairospalestine.ps
http://www.bethlehemaffirmation.com/
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