The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem condemned the practices of the Israeli police in the Old City of Jerusalem during the Holy Fire Saturday celebrations.The Patriarchate said in a statement that the police, deprived thousands of Christians of their natural right to worship freely, through military checkpoints it had deployed in the vicinity of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the form of security cordons, all the way from the gates of the old city leading to the church. These barriers prevented worshipers and those celebrating the feast from reaching the church of the Holy Sepulchre.
So let's look at how the ceremony was done ninety years ago, and the role of the police at that time, from the Enquirer and Evening News of Battle Creek, MI, March 27, 1932:
There were lots of police around Jerusalem in 1932 for Easter week.
What about worshipping freely at the Church on Holy Saturday? Not, not exactly freely - it used to cost a lot of money to get a seat.
And guess who enforced limits on who can enter the Church? That's right - the police!
Later on, the writer says that the smoke from the candles lit by the fire nearly suffocated him in the poorly-ventilated church, further indication that by today's standards, it was overcrowded and dangerous. Allowing unlimited attendees, as the Church now demands, is irresponsible.
Israeli police this year did not act very differently than the Palestine police did in 1932. It is certain that similar restrictions were in place every year, although there was more concern this year in Israel after the Meron disaster.
Why would the Christian leaders bitterly complain when Israeli police are keeping security in a sensitive area, limiting the number of people entering the Church, just like the police did in 1932? Moreover, why are they not supporting and working with the police to guarantee everyone's safety and maximize the number of people who can safely attend?
The answer is obvious. The church in Jerusalem is - and always has been - antisemitic. It still considers Jews to be Christ-killers. When Jews do anything, even things that they are obligated to do to maintain order, the Church wants to accuse Jews of criminal behavior.
