Jerusalem: Easter tensions see concerns over Christian safety

Rising intimidation and aggression towards clergy and churchgoers have disrupted Easter’s Holy Week in Jerusalem, leading to the closure of key religious sites, according to the Middle East Eye and agencies on April 2nd.

This follows a new report by the Rossing Centre, which addresses the wave of hostility towards Christians in Jerusalem, raising concerns about the minority’s future in Palestine and Israel. 

It found a “continued and expanding pattern of intimidation and aggression,” documenting 155 cases in 2025, emphasising that “this is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Despite the Centre’s mission to improve intercommunal relations, the report has not prompted the desired response from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition government over what it describes as a “surge in overt animosity toward Christianity.”

Without explicitly mentioning officials like Itamar Ben Gvir, the report notes, “this trend has been particularly evident among current government and has been further aggravated by the collective trauma since October 7th, 2023.”

Although Netanyahu situates Israel as the “guardian of Christianity” in the Middle East, the think-tank states that “Christians feel increasingly unwelcome, pressured to conceal their identity, and uncertain about the future of their communities.”

The report finds that clergy in “distinctive garments and visible Christian symbols” experience the highest number of incidents. 

It added that “Clergy in areas such as Mount Zion and the Armenian Quarter report that harassment has become so routine that stepping outside can carry an almost certain risk of abuse.”

“Most of the complaints were closed, some remain under investigation, and the rate of indictments is very low in relation to the scale of the phenomenon,” it writes. 

It further states, “there is no police officer specifically designated to liaise with the Christian community in Israel.”

This report was issued amid controversy over Israeli police preventing Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and holding Palm Sunday Mass.

During Easter week, the Old City experienced a significant security presence. A police officer was stationed at the locked entrance of the Holy Sepulchre, discouraging potential visitors.

Furthermore, the outer courtyard was under tight surveillance by the “Israeli Police Division of the Holy Sepulchre Church,’ and an Israeli flag was raised.

Pizzaballa’s office stated that it was the first time in centuries that the patriarch had not been able to celebrate the Easter Week Mass in the church.

The International Court of Justice have ordered Israel to end its occupation, ruling in July 2024 that the security presence in East Jerusalem is illegal. 

Further emphasising that “Christian communities have been proudly rooted in the Holy Land for two thousand years. However, in recent years, they have increasingly expressed serious concerns regarding the combination of forces that could drive younger generations away.”

Although Netanyahu maintains that Jerusalem is its capital, according to the MEE, this contrasts with the recent Rossing report and events in Christianity’s most sacred city during the most important week of the Christian calendar. 

The Middle East Eye plus agencies,  Maghrebi.org