Jerusalem Placed Under Tight Restrictions During Holy Fire Celebrations

Jerusalem: Israeli occupation forces turned large parts of Jerusalem, particularly the Damascus Gate area and the Old City neighborhoods, into a military zone on Saturday, deploying numerous checkpoints. This coincided with the Christian churches observing Holy Saturday, also known as "Holy Saturday," at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in occupied Jerusalem. According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, local sources revealed that Israeli forces set up military checkpoints on roads leading to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City, obstructing worshippers' access to the church for Holy Saturday. They also checked the IDs of several young men and prevented them from entering. The Israeli occupation forces imposed strict military measures at checkpoints surrounding occupied Jerusalem. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem had called on Christians on Friday to participate in the Holy Saturday services at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Israeli authorities had previously closed the church for 40 days, preventing prayers under the pretext of security conditions linked to regional tensions. Holy Saturday is observed by churches following the Eastern calendar and precedes Easter, marking one of the most significant events in the Christian liturgical year.