The Islamic Christian Authority for Patronizing Jerusalem and Holy Sites has condemned the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) for revoking hundreds of permits previously issued to Christian citizens from the Gaza Strip for their entry to Jerusalem to perform Easter holiday rituals.
In a statement on Wednesday the Authority said that such a measure constitutes a serious violation against freedom of worship and belies Israeli claims about allowing freedom of worship and access to holy places for Palestinian citizens.
The Authority described the Israeli occupation state’s persistence in imposing restrictions on Christian and Muslim worshipers and targeting their holy sites as a “grave violation of the international law” especially Article 53 of the First Geneva Protocol of 1977 that prohibits any occupying power from carrying out hostile actions against places of worship and denying worshipers access to their holy sites.
It called on the international community and the UN to assume their responsibilities in this regard and intervene to stop such Israeli violations and provide protection for the Palestinian holy places.
