The Palestine-Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) of the World Council of Churches has issued an alert regarding the rights of Christians to worship during Holy Week.
Israeli restrictions prevent Palestinian Christians from attending Holy Week services in Jerusalem. Israel allows only 8000 pilgrims and few hundreds of locals to enter the city where the Holy Sepulchre Church, and its surroundings become off limits for Christians through a complex network of walls, checkpoints, and security apparatuses.
For Easter, Palestinian Christians living outside of Jerusalem in the West Bank and Gaza are required to apply for permits to access their holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem, and it is estimated that only 2000–3000 Palestinian Christians receive permits. (Muslims too have difficulties in accessing their holy sites, but Jews do not have to apply for permits.) The heavy presence of Israeli police and military forces in and around the Old City preventing Christians from accessing the Holy Sepulcher Church neighborhood disturbs the spiritual atmosphere and joy of celebrating Easter.
We call on all our leaders, friends, brothers and sisters around the world to take the following practical steps:
* Write to your political representatives informing them of the situation and asking them to put pressure on Israel to end its restrictions on religious rights, to end its military occupation on this land, and to respect international law;
* Write directly to the Israeli Ambassador to register you compaint against Israels actions, against military occupation on this land, and asking for respect for international law and human rights. [Embassy address: 3514 International Drive, NW, Washington, D.C. 20008]
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