Jerusalem: Israel has banned Palestinian Christians from celebrating Easter at Jerusalem's Temple Mount, where Jesus Christ is believed to have been crucified and buried. As Christians around the world prepare to celebrate Easter, the restriction imposed on believers in Jerusalem, the birthplace of Christianity, is the topic of heated discussions.
Christians of Palestinian origin are the ones facing severe restrictions on entering the Old City. Meanwhile, only 200 Christian leaders from the occupied West Bank have been allowed to enter the area. Al Jazeera reported that church members were not allowed to attend the ceremony.
On this Good Friday, very few believers took part in the 'Way of the Cross' ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Christian priest Munther Isaac said these are dark days. “Jerusalem is a very important place of worship for us. We used to pray in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, especially on Easter days. We don't even have access to Bethlehem, which is only a 20-minute drive from here. Israel has tightened restrictions this year, he told Al Jazeera.