Occupation prevents Gaza Christians from participating in Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem
The Israeli occupation authorities today prevented 200 Palestinian Christians in Gaza Strip from going to the West Bank to participate in Christmas celebrations in the city of Bethlehem.
The Palestinian Wafa news agency quoted Kamel Ayyad, the information director of the Orthodox Church in Gaza, as saying that the occupation authorities, in flagrant violation of international laws and the United Nations Charter, prevented 200 Christians in the Strip from going to Bethlehem to participate in Christmas celebrations, stressing that every Muslim and Christian has the right to visit the Islamic and Christian sanctities at any time and on any occasion.
For its part, Addameer “Conscious” Association for Human Rights stated that since the beginning of this year, the occupation authorities have prevented 331 Christians in Gaza Strip from going to the city of Bethlehem, pointing out that the occupation is deliberately preventing Gaza Christians from communicating with their relatives or visiting them in the West Bank.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs constantly affirms that the occupation’s ban on Christians in the Gaza Strip from visiting the holy places in the West Bank violates the freedom of movement and worship contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 for the protection of the civilian population, and the First Protocol annexed to the Geneva Conventions with regard to freedom of worship.
The Palestinian Wafa news agency quoted Kamel Ayyad, the information director of the Orthodox Church in Gaza, as saying that the occupation authorities, in flagrant violation of international laws and the United Nations Charter, prevented 200 Christians in the Strip from going to Bethlehem to participate in Christmas celebrations, stressing that every Muslim and Christian has the right to visit the Islamic and Christian sanctities at any time and on any occasion.
For its part, Addameer “Conscious” Association for Human Rights stated that since the beginning of this year, the occupation authorities have prevented 331 Christians in Gaza Strip from going to the city of Bethlehem, pointing out that the occupation is deliberately preventing Gaza Christians from communicating with their relatives or visiting them in the West Bank.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs constantly affirms that the occupation’s ban on Christians in the Gaza Strip from visiting the holy places in the West Bank violates the freedom of movement and worship contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 for the protection of the civilian population, and the First Protocol annexed to the Geneva Conventions with regard to freedom of worship.
NR