By the Jerusalem team,

2016’s Holy Week in Jerusalem was one full of contradictions. The week before brought the exciting news that 850 Christians from Gaza had been granted permits from the Israeli authorities to come and worship. However, a last minute travel ban between Wednesday and Saturday meant that even for those with permits, getting past checkpoints into the city became extremely difficult. A glorious Palm Sunday Procession down the Mount of Olives into the Old City was followed by a week where the realities of the occupation did not abate: house demolitions, arrests, and even the “apparent extrajudicial execution” of a Palestinian in Hebron (so called by Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov) marred the commemoration of Holy Week.

1. 20.03.16. Mount of Olives Palm Sunday procession. According to the Israeli authorities, 21,000 people joined the march. Photo EAPPI/A. Juhola

2. Jerusalemite Christians young and old expressed both their faith and national identity in the Palm Sunday procession down The Mount of Olives to Lion’s Gate. Photo EAPPI/ A. Juhola.

3. EAs accompanied worshipers in Palm Sunday procession, providing protective presence. Photo EAPPI/ A. Juhola.

4. Descending The Mount of Olives – the Old City of Jerusalem, including golden roof of The Dome of the Rock Mosque, and the Jewish Cemetery, can be seen in the background. Photo EAPPI/ A. Juhola.

5. Many worshippers joined groups who sang or spoke words of praise, some carrying instruments. Photo EAPPI/ A. Juhola.

6. Residents of the Old City (near Lion’s Gate) looking down on the crowds entering the Old City of Jerusalem. Photo EAPPI / C. Merer.

7. Outside St Anne’s Church at the end of the procession. Photo EAPPI / C. Merer.

8. The Patriarch of the Latin Catholic Church of Jerusalem leads the closing address after the Palm Sunday procession. Photo EAPPI / C. Merer.

The strict crowd control employed by the Israeli military during the Good Friday procession of the Via Dolorosa (or ‘way of the cross’) created a feeling of needless division between worshipers of different faiths in the city. The procession was mostly peaceful, but not well attended – whether it was the travel ban or more general security concerns that kept people away is unclear. What is sure is that those worshipping within the city were some of the lucky few, with the majority of Palestinian Christians from both the West Bank and Gaza barred by a complex combination of the separation barrier, permits, and an atmosphere of fear.

9. EAs before the Good Friday procession of the Via Dolorosa (or ‘way of the cross’). EAs joined the procession, monitoring freedom of movement within the Old City for worshippers. Photo EAPPI/ K. Ramberg Aasen

10. The start of the procession at the First Station of the Cross, led by the Franciscan Brothers. Photo EAPPI/ G. Soares.

11. Scouts near the head of the procession. Photo EAPPI/ R. Argall.

12. A Scout joins in with the singing at the start of the procession. Photo EAPPI/ A. Haywood.

13. The Israeli Military employed aggressive crowd control techniques, blocking Muslims from accessing Al Aqsa compound from certain streets during the procession. Photo EAPPI/ A. Haywood.

14. Near the First Station of the cross, Muslims stopped from passing to Al Aqsa Photo EAPPI/R. Argall

15. There were tense scenes shortly after the seventh station of the cross, where both Muslims and Christians were unable to join the passing procession. Photo EAPPI/ G. Soares.

16. Crowd control at the entrance to The Church of the Holy Sepulchre – the site of the last four stations of the Via Dolorosa, believed to be the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and tomb. Photo EAPPI/ K. Ramberg Aasen.

17. Jewish children watch the procession approach the final Stations of the Cross. Photo EAPPI/ C. Merer.

18. Jerusalemite women carrying the cross out of The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Photo EAPPI/ G. Soares.

19. Inside The Church of the Holy Sepulchre: Good Friday ‘Burial Service’. Photo EAPPI/ C. Merer.

20. After the Good Friday procession: Muslim men praying near Lion’s Gate. Photo EAPPI/ C. Merer.

21. Easter Sunday: Christians start arriving at St. Saviours Catholic Church for the service, one of many gatherings happening across Jerusalem. Photo EAPPI/ A. Juhola.

22. Lutheran Church of the Redeemer: during the service. Photo EAPPI/ A. Juhola

This Easter many Palestinian Christians, were prevented from celebrating Easter freely and in accordance with tradition. Israel’s military occupation, and its associated régime of controls, has dramatically restricted Palestinians’ freedom of worship and access to churches in the Holy Land.

UN Resolution 476 calls for “the protection and preservation of the unique spiritual and religious dimension of the Holy Places in the Jerusalem.” Similarly, the World Council of Church maintains that “Jerusalem must be an open, inclusive and shared city in terms] of sovereignty and citizenship.” Moreover, movement restrictions that impede access to religious institutions – and are not necessary for the maintenance of public order – infringe on the rights of the Palestinian population to freedom of religion and worship, according to article 46 of the Hague Regulations, article 58 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, article 75 of the First Additional Protocol IAP). Restricted access to worship is one of the many areas in which the Israeli government separates Jerusalem from Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza and undermines the shared character of the city

More information:

Kairos Palestine 2016: Easter Alert

EAPPI: Access to Worship: Easter 2014

EAPPI/JIC: Faith Under Occupation: The Plight of Indigenous Christians in the Holy Land