U.S., April 22 -- There are around 1,100 Palestinian Christians in Gaza, many of whom are descended from the earliest Christians in Palestine (where Christianity originated). For the first time, Israeli authorities denied all travel permits to Palestinian Christians from Gaza to celebrate Easter as they do each year, by processing from Bethlehem to Jerusalem to follow the path of Jesus in the Resurrection.

Can such a restriction be justified by security needs only?

Human right watchers say, Israel's decision to outright deny movement between Gaza and the West Bank this Easter constitutes a further violation of Palestinians' fundamental rights to freedom of movement, religious freedom, and family life. The increased restriction on the mo...