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On this photo published by the Coptic Patriarchate, Israeli policemen arrest a Coptic priest in front of the Holy Sepulcher Church in Jerusalem on Wednesday, October 24, 2018. Police priests and Coptic priests disputed on Wednesday in front of a disputed chapel of the Church of the Holy See. Sepulcher, where many Christians believe that Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. The Copts were protesting the arrival of the restoration workers of the Authority of Israeli Antiquities at the St. Michael the Archangel Chapel, claimed by both Ethiopian and Egyptian Orthodox churches. (Coptic Patriarchate via AP) (Associated Press)
JERUSALEM – A clash between Israeli police and Coptic priests at a Christian holy site from Jerusalem to Jerusalem has provoked the condemnation of Egypt and the churches of the Holy Land.
Police and Coptic priests quarreled in front of a disputed chapel of the Holy Sepulcher Church in Jerusalem, where many Christians believe that Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.
The Copts were protesting against the beginning of the restoration work of the authority of Israeli antiquities in the St. Michael the Archangel Chapel, claimed by both Ethiopian and Egyptian Orthodox churches.
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, located in the Old City of Jerusalem, is shared by several Christian denominations. A long-standing status quo governs the ownership and management of sacred sites by cults. Each group is fiercely protecting its territory, and even perceived changes to the status quo have given rise to arguments or violence.
The authority of antiquities had to carry out repairs after the fall of a stone in the chapel in September 2017.
Police said that after priests blocked the entrance and banned the entry of workers, officers forcibly removed them and arrested a man.
Mazen Qupty, a lawyer from the Coptic Church, said that a priest had been briefly detained and that several others had been slightly injured.
An umbrella group of churches in the Holy Land issued a statement denouncing the use of force by the police against priests. The Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate has lodged a complaint with the Israeli Ministry of Justice. The Copts intend to hold a demonstration against the action of the police in the coming days.
"While we condemn the actions of the police towards the Coptic monks, we call on the Israeli authorities to hold their leaders accountable and to respect the fundamental rights of the people for freedom of expression and demonstration," said Wadie Abunassar. , advising church leaders in the Holy Land, said in a statement.
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed its "total rejection" of Israeli police violence and said it "was watching the situation closely"
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israel Antiquities Authority refused to comment.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, disseminated, rewritten or redistributed.
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