Jordan Condemns Israel’s Restrictions on Access of Christians to Sepulcher Church

Amman, MINA – The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has condemned Israel’s restrictions on Christians’ access to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in occupied Jerusalem during the Holy Fire ceremony on Saturday.

Ambassador Haitham Abu Al-Foul, a spokesman for the ministry, said all Israeli measures aimed at restricting the right of Christians to a free and unrestricted access to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher to perform their religious rites are rejected and condemned, Wafa reports.

He stressed that Israel, the occupying power, must respect the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites, and must stop all restrictive measures against the Christians of occupied Jerusalem.

The Arab Orthodox Institute in Jerusalem condemned the actions of the Israeli occupation police for harassing those celebrating Holy Saturday in the Christian Quarter, the Old City on Saturday.

In a statement quoted by Wafa, the agency said Israeli forces had narrowed the space for worshipers by setting up checkpoints in the alleys of the Old City and all roads leading to the Christian Quarter.

“The behavior of the occupying police came as revenge after a rejection in the Supreme Court that required the police to freely allow worshipers to freely enter the Old City,” the statement read. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)