Thousands of Palestinian Christians and visitors from around the world gathered in the Old City of Jerusalem to celebrate Holy Saturday amidst a heavy presence of Israeli police. On this day each year, the streets of the Old City are filled with believers specifically coming to witness the emergence of the Holy Light. The Israeli police deployed a wide-ranging presence in the Old City, setting up hundreds of barriers to prevent Palestinians, foreign tourists, and heads of diplomatic missions from reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which angered the church.
The Orthodox rituals, which date back a thousand years, attract thousands of worshippers to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which houses the site of Golgotha, where according to Christian tradition, Jesus Christ was crucified, as well as the location of His burial. However, the Israeli police significantly limited participation in the rituals this year; unlike previous years, when up to ten thousand Christians would crowd the church, only around 1,800 worshippers were allowed to enter while 1,200 others were kept outside. Additional checkpoints around the Old City restricted access to the area surrounding the church, allowing only those with special permits to pass.
Church officials expressed that they would not cooperate with the restrictions imposed by the police, viewing them as part of long-standing efforts to drive Christian residents out of Jerusalem. Some church leaders voiced concern over what they described as an environment of impunity amidst rising violence and vandalism targeting Christians and their properties in Jerusalem. Cristina Kurt, a resident of Jerusalem, remarked, "This is our holiday, and we should feel comfortable celebrating without barriers and violence against women, youth, and children."
