Israeli forces attack Christian worshipers during Holy Saturday in occupied al-Quds

Israeli police forces have attacked Christian worshipers in occupied al-Quds during Holy Saturday, one of the most important Christian holidays marking the final day before Easter.

During the assault, the occupation forces pushed people, beat several individuals, and detained a number of participants.

Israeli police had already set up checkpoints and inspected IDs of those attending the religious ceremony.

They had also deployed barriers and iron barricades across key routes leading to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of al-Quds.

The restrictions came one day after the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in al-Quds called on Christians to attend Holy Saturday rituals following a 40-day closure of the church amid the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the assault on Christian worshipers as a direct attack on freedom of worship, saying it reflects a systematic policy targeting the Palestinian Christian presence in occupied al-Quds.

It also noted that blocking access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre violates international law and the long-standing status quo.

Israel uses permit warfare to cripple Christian schools, erase Palestinian presence in al-Quds

Israel has barred more than 230 Christian teachers from al-Quds, enforcing restrictive permit regimes and continuing repression of Palestinian education.

Meanwhile, Ramzi Khoury, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee and head of the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs, strongly denounced the Israeli attack.

Israeli forces, he added, deliberately intimidated the crowds to impose a coercive reality and prevent native Palestinians from practicing their religious rituals in violation of international law.

Similarly, the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the Israeli police actions and rejected the illegal and restrictive measures against Palestinian Christians.

In a statement, the ministry further called for an immediate halt to all measures that hinder Muslims and Christians from practicing their religious rituals.

Additionally, it urged respect for the historical and legal status quo in al-Quds’ holy sites and called on the international community to pressure the Israeli regime to stop violations against Islamic and Christian sacred places.

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