JERUSALEM, After visiting Jerusalem’s Old City with the office of the Greek Orthodox patriarchate, European diplomats today called on the Israeli authorities to ensure freedom of worship of Christians during the upcoming Easter holiday.

The diplomats were briefed about Christian properties at Jaffa Gate, one of the gates to the Old City at risk of eviction due to pressure by Israeli settler organizations and harassment of Christians by settlers in nearby Mount Zion, according to a tweet by the European Union Representative.

After learning that the Israeli authorities are going to restrict processions ahead of Holy Fire Saturday and limit the number of worshippers to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher to 1000 people, despite it being customary to many thousands of worshippers to enter the church on that day, the European diplomats said the Israeli authorities “must ensure the freedom of worship of Christians through unlimited access to holy sites.”

They also stressed that the eviction orders “should be halted as they jeopardize Christian community heritage and pose a threat to peaceful coexistence of all three Abrahamic religions in Jerusalem.”

Source: Palestine News & Info Agency