Easter in Jerusalem: No access for Gaza’s Christians

HOLY LAND – With the start of the Holy Week, thousands of Christians have flocked from around the world to take part in one of Christianity’s holy feasts. In Gaza, Israel hasn’t issued any permits for Christians there to travel to Jerusalem until this moment.

Two days to go before Good Friday, Israel has not issued permits for Gaza Palestinian Christians to travel to Jerusalem to celebrate Easter, Church authorities have said.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said church authorities had applied for around 600 permits for Gaza Palestinian worshipers to travel, but had not received any.

Gaza is under an ongoing Israeli blockade and people’s movements out of the Gaza Strip is tightly restricted by the Israeli military.

The Israeli military-run authority that operates in the occupied West Bank defended its policy to deny the applicants access to the city of Jerusalem in the West Bank, and said it would only issue permits to people aged at least 55.

Click here to continue reading this story.  (Story appeared on the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem’s webpage.)