Denied entry to West Bank, no Christmas festivities for Gaza's Orthodox Christians
Record ID:
1451774
Denied entry to West Bank, no Christmas festivities for Gaza's Orthodox Christians
- Title: Denied entry to West Bank, no Christmas festivities for Gaza's Orthodox Christians
- Date: 8th January 2020
- Summary: GAZA CITY, GAZA (JANUARY 7, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PRIEST LEADING GREEK ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS MORNING MASS GAZA CHRISTIANS ATTENDING CHRISTMAS MASS WOMAN DURING MASS PRIEST LEAVING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AT ORTHODOX CHURCH IN GAZA, KAMEL AYAD, TALKING ON PHONE OUTSIDE CHURCH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AT ORTHODOX CHURCH IN GAZA, KAMEL AYAD, SAYING: "With the siege on Gaza Strip there are only prayers happening and nothing else, there are no celebrations. This year, like every other year, we applied to the Israeli side to get than 950 Israeli permits to visit 1948 areas, Bethlehem, West Bank and Jerusalem to observe religious rites, however, the Israeli side has denied more 341 permits on security grounds." WORSHIPPER LIGHTING CANDLE CAMERAMEN FILMING CHRISTMAS MASS IN PROGRESS WORSHIPPER AND CHILDREN IN FRONT OF CANDLES / WORSHIPPER LEAVING SCENE MASS IN PROGRESS WORSHIPPERS AT CHURCH EXTERIOR CHURCH TOWER
- Embargoed: 22nd January 2020 15:14
- Keywords: Christmas Christmas in Gaza Gaza's Orthodox Christians Israeli permits Israelis Palestinians West Bank
- Location: GAZA CITY, GAZA
- City: GAZA CITY, GAZA
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001BVBBQZ9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Christmas celebrations for hundreds of Gaza's dwindling Greek Orthodox Christian community were limited to a morning mass held on Tuesday (January 7).
Fewer than half of Christians from Gaza who sought Israeli permits to visit holy cities such as Bethlehem and Jerusalem at Christmas have so far had their applications granted.
Orthodox Church officials say the rest were unable to join the festivities after Israel denied their entry based on security concerns.
Gaza has around 1,000 Christians, most of them from the Greek Orthodox denomination who celebrate Christmas on January 7, living with a mainly Muslim population of 2 million Palestinians.
Israel tightly restricts movements out of the Gaza Strip, a coastal territory controlled by Hamas Islamists who are deemed a terrorist group by Israel and Western powers.
Last year, ahead of Christmas Day on December 25, Israel granted permits for nearly 700 Gaza Christians to travel to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth and other holy cities that draw thousands of pilgrims each holiday season.
(Production: Suheir Sheikh, Arafat Barbakh, Nehad Khalil) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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