Israel prevents UN delegation from reaching Church of the Holy Sepulchre

UN envoy for Middle East Peace Robert Serry said Saturday that Israeli police refused to grant him and other diplomats permission to reach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to attend Holy Saturday rituals.

In a statement, Serry said that Israeli police officers prevented a number of Palestinian worshippers and diplomats from crossing a checkpoint, citing “orders” they received in this regard.

Officers ignored a request by Serry to speak with senior officials, he told Reuters. He, along with diplomats from Italy, Norway and Netherlands, waited for half an hour at the crowded checkpoint. When Serry told an Israeli officer that he was UN Secretary General’s envoy, the officer responded: “so what?”

In his statement, Serry called on all sides to “respect the right to religious freedom,” denouncing the attitude of Israeli police as “unacceptable”.

A spokesman of the Israeli Foreign Ministry downplayed the incident, pointing out that it was “a very minor” one, and that police was merely trying to control the crowd.

Pope Francis is slated to visit Jerusalem and other places in the West Bank next May.