Zionist Regime Restricts 50,000 West Bank Palestinians from Accessing Jerusalem on Christian Holiday
Zionist regime has blocked tens of thousands of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank from accessing al-Quds, where they intended to participate in Christian festivities at the city's churches.
The Palestinian WAFA news agency has reported that only a small group of Palestinian Christians were able to participate in Palm Sunday festivities in al-Quds.
Israeli authorities have issued approximately 6,000 permits for West Bank Christians, even as the community’s population surpasses 50,000, according to a recent report.
Military forces enforcing the occupation have implemented stringent measures at checkpoints encircling al-Quds and its Old City, which houses the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Father Ibrahim Faltas, the deputy head of the Custody of the Holy Land, stated that for the second year in succession, only a limited group of pilgrims can partake in the Holy Week and Easter festivities in al-Quds due to the persistently ongoing conflict.
Christians in the Gaza Strip observed Palm Sunday at the Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church, mere hours following an Israeli airstrike on the al-Ahli Arab hospital in close proximity.
In an official statement, the Gaza-based Hamas resistance group has criticized Israel for imposing restrictions on the access of West Bank Palestinians to al-Quds.
The Israeli action is described as part of a wider policy characterized by accusations of racism and fascism, with the intention of separating Palestinians from their homeland and sacred locations, the statement included.
Hamas has urged churches worldwide to denounce the ongoing occupation and its continuous assaults on the freedom of worship and the accessibility of sacred sites.
The statement called on the international community to take decisive action to halt what it described as Israel’s genocidal conflict in the Gaza Strip, asserting that the campaign seeks to eliminate Palestinians and undermine their cause.
On October 7, 2023, Israel initiated a severe military campaign in Gaza following a significant operation by Hamas, which was a response to Israel’s heightened actions against the Palestinian populace.
After 18 months of conflict, the administration in Tel Aviv has yet to realize its stated goals in the blockaded area. Despite this, the confrontation has resulted in the deaths of at least 50,944 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children, and left 116,156 others injured.
