OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)
The International Jerusalem Foundation has condemned the ongoing closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Occupied Jerusalem since February 28, 2026, describing the move as a blatant violation of religious freedom and an attempt to impose a new reality that threatens the city’s religious diversity.
In a statement, the foundation said Israeli authorities continue to prevent Christians from performing their religious rites inside the church, particularly during the Easter season, citing “public safety” amid ongoing military escalation in the region.
It stressed that denying Christians access to their churches, foremost among them the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, constitutes a serious offense, adding to the restrictive policies imposed on Aqsa Mosque. The foundation said these measures reflect a systematic approach aimed at marginalizing non-Jewish presence in Occupied Jerusalem.
The statement also noted that limiting prayers and religious ceremonies during Good Friday and Holy Saturday to clergy only represents an unprecedented and arbitrary measure, despite attempts to justify it on security grounds.
The foundation emphasized that these actions violate the long-standing “status quo” arrangement in Occupied Jerusalem, which guarantees free access to holy sites and prohibits interference by occupying authorities. It warned that such measures are part of broader efforts to assert effective control over both Islamic and Christian holy places.
It further said that these policies are part of a wider attempt to impose a singular religious identity on the city by diminishing the Muslim and Christian presence and reducing it to a symbolic existence.
The foundation called on Christians in Palestine and around the world, as well as church institutions and human rights organizations, to reject these measures and work to safeguard freedom of worship, uphold the Christian presence in Occupied Jerusalem, and ensure the right to practice religious rituals without restriction.
