Jordan condemns Israel police harassment of Palestinian Christians near Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Orthodox Christians gather with lit candles around the Edicule, traditionally believed to be the burial site of Jesus Christ, during the Holy Fire ceremony at Jerusalem’s Holy Sepulchre church, on 1 May 2021. [EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images]

Jordan has condemned on Saturday the Israeli police’s harassment of Christian worshippers trying to reach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the occupied city of Jerusalem to participate in Easter Eve celebrations.

“The kingdom condemns and rejects the Israeli police obstructing the arrival of Christians to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to participate in the Holy Saturday celebrations, and attacking a number of them,” the spokesperson for the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dhaifallah Al-Fayez announced in a statement.

Al-Fayez called on the Israeli authorities in the occupied city of East Jerusalem to respect the historical and legal status quo in the city and not to impede the practice of religious rituals in accordance with international law.

He also demanded: “To stop harassing Jerusalemites, whether those who wish to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially in the blessed month of Ramadan, or reach the churches of Jerusalem.”

Al-Fayez called on the international community to: “Assume its responsibility in putting pressure on Israel to stop its continuing violations in Jerusalem.”

Earlier on Saturday, Israeli police attacked dozens of Christians, including monks, who tried to reach the Church of Holy Sepulchre to participate in the Easter celebrations.

READ: PA condemns settler attack on church in Jerusalem

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