Ammon News - Israeli police checkpoints at the gates leading to Jerusalem’s Old City this morning obstructed access of Palestinian Christians and other pilgrims to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher to take part in the Holy Fire ceremony of the Orthodox churches as part of the Easter holiday, according to Palestinian News & Information Agency- WAFA.

Large crowds were seen since the morning hours waiting outside the New Gate, one of the gates leading to the Old City, hoping to be able to cross the police checkpoints and take part in the Holy Light ceremony when the light comes out of the Holy Sepulcher in the early afternoon and is taken to churches around the occupied territories and the world in general.

Palestinian Christians in the West Bank and Gaza have difficulty reaching Jerusalem without a permit issued by the Israeli military government, which is rarely issued primarily for the young.

WAFA