West Bank Christians stopped from entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday

Palestinian Christians in the occupied West Bank observed Palm Sunday with restricted celebrations, as the Israeli army stopped them from entering Jerusalem to celebrate at its holy sites. 

In cities such as Bethlehem, Jericho, Ramallah, Nablus, and Jenin, churches following the Eastern, Western, and Armenian calendars restricted Palm Sunday celebrations to masses and prayers only, according to the Anadolu Agency.

In Jerusalem, Palm Sunday services at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City were led by Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and other church leaders. According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, the liturgy was attended by bishops, priests, monks, and nuns.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army barred thousands of lay Christians from the West Bank from entering Jerusalem to take part in the celebrations.

Access to the city was severely restricted by Israeli forces, with only a limited number of Christians—primarily residents of Jerusalem and Palestinian citizens of Israel—allowed to attend services in the Old City. According to Wafa, Israel issued just 6,000 permits for West Bank Christians, despite the community numbering over 50,000.

Regulations require Palestinians to obtain special permits to enter religious sites in the Old City, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

"For the second year in a row, only a small number of pilgrims were able to attend Holy Week and Easter services in Jerusalem due to the ongoing war," said Father Ibrahim Faltas, deputy head of the Custody of the Holy Land, as quoted by Anadolu.

Palm Sunday is a holy day that celebrates Christ's arrival in Jerusalem. It also marks the beginning of Holy Week, which marks the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday and his resurrection on Sunday. The day is named after the scriptural account of residents of Jerusalem celebrating Christ's arrival in the city by waving palm branches. 

This is the second Palm Sunday since Israel began its war on the Gaza Strip, which has killed at least 60,700 people, and since it intensified its attacks on the West Bank, killing over 900 people and injuring thousands more. 

For Gaza's at least 1100 Christians, Palm Sunday was marred after Israel launched a missile attack on the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, the territory's only Christian-run hospital, during which one child patient was killed during a rushed evacuation.