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JERUSALEM (AP) – A scuffle between Israeli police and Coptic priests at a Christian major site in Jerusalem on Wednesday drew condemnation from Egypt and the Holy Land.
Police and Coptic priests wrangled outside the church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.
The Copts were protested by the Israel Antiquities Authority at the St. Michael the Archangel Chapel, which both the Ethiopian and the Egyptian Orthodox churches claim.
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, located in Jerusalem's Old City, is shared by several Christian denominations. A long-standing status quo governs the sects' ownership and management of the holy site. Each group is proudly protective of its territory, and even perceived alterations to the status quo.
The antiquities authority was a performer in September 2017.
The police said that they have been detained by the police and have been arrested.
Mazen Qupty, a lawyer for the Coptic church, said a few days ago.
An umbrella group of churches in the Holy Land issued a statement denouncing the use of force by police against the priests. It said the Orthodox Coptic Patriarchate filed a complaint with the Israeli Justice Ministry, and that the Copts plan to hold a protest against the police action in the coming days.
"While we condemn the actions of the police officers to Coptic monks, we ask that Israeli authorities … hold accountable the mentioned police officers, and respect the basic rights of the people for freedom of expression and demonstration," Wadie Abunbadar, adviser to church leaders in the Holy Land, said in a statement.
Egypt's Foreign Ministry expressed a "total rejection" of Israeli police violence and said it's "closely monitoring the situation."
Israel's Foreign Ministry and Antiquities Authority declined.
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