Israeli police reportedly blocked a top UN diplomat, alongside other diplomats and Palestinians, entrance to a pre-Easter Holy Fire ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which Israeli authorities called a ‘micro-incident.’
Robert Serry, the UN special envoy for Middle East peace, said he
and Palestinian Christians were making their way to attend the
‘Holy Fire’ ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the
site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried
before rising from the dead.
Despite earlier promises of unrestricted access to the church,
Israeli police refused to let the group of worshipers pass,
saying they had orders to that effect.
Serry said he, along with Italian, Norwegian and Dutch diplomats,
was forced to wait for up to 30 minutes, crushed by the excited
crowd against a barricade, while Israeli officers ignored his
request to speak with a superior, according to Reuters.
“A precarious standoff ensued ending in an angry crowd
pushing their way through,” Serry said, lashing out at
"unacceptable behavior from the Israeli security
authorities."
"It became really dangerous because there was a big crowd and
I was pushed against a metal fence the police put up there, the
crowd tried to push really hard," the diplomat said, adding
they might have been trampled had police not finally let them
pass.
Serry in a statement called on “all parties to respect the
right of religious freedom, granting access to holy sites for
worshipers of all faiths and refraining from provocations, not
least during religious holidays.”
The incident comes as the Holy City, which is of religious
importance to Christians, Jews and Muslims alike, prepares Pope
Francis's Holy Land visit next month.
Israel dismissed the UN diplomat’s complaint, calling it an
attempt to exaggerate a "micro-incident" while crediting
police with maintaining order as crowds of worshipers descended
on the city.
Later on Saturday, Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry dismissed
Serry’s account as “an odd communique on a non-event.”
“Christian dignitaries of the highest level have this evening
thanked the Jerusalem Police Department for its efficient
service, which has enabled the Holy Day’s celebrations to take
place without any hindrance,” the ministry said.
"Had any harm come to the pilgrims due to uncontrolled crowd
movements, Mr. Serry would have been prompt to cast
responsibility on the same police which he now condemns for doing
its job properly," the Israeli statement added.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Jerusalem in May,
an event that may be overshadowed by a breakdown in US-brokered
peace talks between Israeli and Palestinians, who face an
April-29 deadline to resolve their differences.