As in previous years, Israeli forces attacked, harassed, and detained Palestinian and other Christian worshippers in and around the Church of the Holy Sepulchre who were taking part in the Holy Fire ceremony on Saturday, April 11, 2026—the day before Orthodox Easter. Holy Saturday is the holiest day of the year for Orthodox Christians.

These measures came as part of broader Israeli restrictions on access and mobility across the Old City of Jerusalem this Easter, with multiple checkpoints installed en route from the New Gate to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Large crowds were blocked from reaching the church; only a limited number of worshippers, along with religious officials and security personnel, were allowed through. Many community members were left disappointed, especially given that the church had been completely closed by Israel since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28 as part of Israel’s hermetic closure of the Old City and all its holy sites during the war.

Community members say that Israel’s policies against Muslims and Christians in the Old City around religious holidays are worsening, and the climate for non-Jews in general is becoming more inhospitable in Jerusalem, especially in the Old City. Newly released data on anti-Christian harassment by Jews also reflects this (see Bigoted Harassment of Christians in Jerusalem Increased in 2025).

Jerusalem-based Palestinian Christian educator Richard Zananiri described the scene to Jerusalem Story. He shared that he spent three hours waiting to reach the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for the Holy Fire celebrations, only to be turned away. “Every year it gets worse,” he said. “The Old City is like a military barracks.”1

Rafi Ghattas, a leader in the Arab Catholic Scouts, told Jerusalem Story that Israeli forces warned the scouts not to wear or raise any Palestinian national references. “They threatened us that if we have the Palestinian flag or the word ‘Palestine’ in either Arabic or English, they will attack us and we will be barred from participation,” Ghattas said.2

He explained that the scout flag has various images, including the Palestinian flag, which led police to assault tens of scouts, including with detentions. “Eight were arrested and held on charges that they attacked the police,” Ghattas described. Police in Jerusalem routinely charge Palestinians being arrested with attacking police, regardless of their actual behavior, which might have been more consistent with protesting or resisting arrest or physical aggression. The high number of detentions was unprecedented and reflects an escalation.

The scouts were later released after posting a cash bond, and many were given orders not to enter the Old City. “The biggest problem,” Ghattas cautioned, “is that they are now listed in police records, which means that they will be collectively punished [in the future] if they apply for anything that the police can reject.”

Ghattas said that Israeli courts, including the Supreme Court, have ruled that the Palestinian flag is not illegal and that Israeli police are not allowed to limit the number of people attending religious events.

Organizers and observers noted that wristbands, supplied in coordination with the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, were required for those wishing to pray inside the church, even local residents of the Old City itself. However, those who worked hard to secure these bracelets found themselves shut out in the end.3 Others coming from outside and seeking entry into the Old City faced stringent restrictions. Reports and videos described a substantial police presence, including officers in uniform and civilian clothing, patrolling the alleys near the church and surrounding areas.

A Palestinian doctor who had come to worship that day told Jerusalem Story that he waited a long time to reach and enter the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre: “The police refused to allow us in, saying that they had instructions from church leaders. Once we entered 15 minutes before the fire was spread, the rooftop was empty as was the yard outside the church,” he said, preferring not to give his name for fear of Israeli reprisals.4

Videos of police physically pushing and harassing worshippers spread online. In one video, the pushing resulted in a wooden cross held by a worshipper falling to the ground. Another incident captured on video showed Israeli police physically pushing worshippers inside the Cathedral of Saint James to the ground.

Upon further investigation by Jerusalem Story, the alleged violation of church sovereignty was a result of a disagreement: “A Greek Orthodox group filming in the church wanted the church to be empty for their shoot and asked the police to remove the local Palestinian Orthodox believers,” a source at the site told Jerusalem Story.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) issued a public statement asking the government of Israel, as in previous years, to allow unimpeded access to Jerusalem’s holy sites as per the Status Quo, and to refrain from violence against worshippers exercising their right to worship. “Lessons learned need to be taken by the relevant Israeli authorities in Jerusalem,” WCC general secretary Reverend Professor Jerry Pillay asserted, “to avoid violence against ordinary civilians who simply want to pray and to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”5 The approach of setting up barricades in Jerusalem’s Old City has failed, he noted further.

Palestinian Christian George Sahhar, a Jerusalem resident and communication and advocacy professional who is a leader in the Christian community, echoed a similar call in a private WhatsApp chat group. In a message to the group that Sahhar later shared with Jerusalem Story, he challenged the justification for the restrictions:

Wadie Abunassar, a Haifa-based Palestinian Christian leader and founder of the Christian Forum, told Jerusalem Story that the Holy Fire ceremony is one of the most prominent religious observances for Orthodox Christians worldwide, symbolizing faith, hope, and peace. “Therefore, what occurred constitutes a blatant violation of freedom of worship and an attack on the dignity of believers,” Abunassar explained, “contravening international laws and conventions that guarantee the right to access holy sites and freely practice religious rites.”7

“We strongly condemn these practices and consider them a serious affront to the character of Jerusalem as a holy city for all religions. We reject the transformation of religious occasions into arenas of oppression and repression,” Abunassar declared before calling on relevant authorities to guarantee safe and unrestricted access to holy sites for all believers; cease all forms of aggression and harassment against worshippers and pilgrims; launch a serious investigation into the violations that occurred and hold those responsible accountable; and respect the existing historical and legal Status Quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites.

Abunassar also called upon churches worldwide and the international community to “uphold their moral and humanitarian responsibilities, work to protect the Christian presence in the Holy Land, and guarantee the right of believers to practice their rites freely and with dignity.” He concluded by affirming “our commitment to the message of Jerusalem as a city of peace and coexistence,” rejecting “any practices that undermine this spiritual and historical character.”

The Arab Orthodox Union Club in Jerusalem also condemned the events that transpired during the Holy Fire ceremony, noting the significance of the day for its members and stressing the need to preserve freedom of worship and the sacred character of the celebration.

Israel’s strict measures affect not only churchgoers but potentially the broader Christian presence in Jerusalem, raising concerns about religious freedom and the right to dignified worship. Dr. Ramzi Khoury, head of the Palestinian Presidential Committee for Church Affairs, issued a strong statement criticizing the Israeli approach to the religious event in Jerusalem. He emphasized that these violations “constitute a direct attack on worshippers while practicing their religious rites, and a blatant violation of all international laws and conventions that guarantee freedom of worship and safe access to holy sites.”8

Khoury argued that Israeli police deliberately targeted worshippers and congregations in an attempt to impose a coercive reality, and that the attacks extended beyond worshippers to scout groups, who have long been integral to the celebratory rituals. These groups were “harassed and prevented from performing their traditional role in organizing processions and welcoming pilgrims.” He described this as part of a systematic effort to undermine the festive aspects of the Holy Fire ceremony and erase the event’s spiritual and national character, which reflects dignity and pride and builds a strong collective community spirit.

The statements framed these incidents within a broader context of ongoing Israeli violations against freedom of worship for Christians and Muslims more generally. On Holy Saturday, thousands of Palestinian Christians coming from outside the city from the rest of the West Bank were also reportedly blocked from entering Jerusalem due to military restrictions and checkpoints, infringing on international law and the freedom to worship. This experience replicates what happens annually to Muslims wishing to pray at al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan (see The Last Days of Ramadan Reflected Worrisome Trends in Jerusalem).

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)’s Islamic-Christian Committee for the Support of Jerusalem and Holy Sites condemned the measures, calling the events “a blatant violation of the freedom of worship guaranteed by divine laws and international conventions.”9 Their statement linked the storming of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by the Israeli police chief to a broader pattern affecting both Islamic and Christian holy sites.

Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned the Israeli police actions during Easter in Jerusalem and rejected the restrictive measures against Christians celebrating the Holy Fire, underscoring the illegitimacy of the restrictions.10

The Old City of Jerusalem has long been a flashpoint during religious events. Since October 7, 2023, and especially since the latest war on Iran began on February 28, 2026, Israel has been imposing excessively restrictive policies on Christian and Muslim sites alike, including through the closure of al-Aqsa Mosque for much of Ramadan (see As Ramadan Ends, al-Aqsa Mosque Remains Empty and Palestinians Take to the Streets in Silent Protest). For many Palestinians and observers, these realities constitute troubling developments that warrant increased global attention.