Israeli restrictions on Christians this year have been perhaps the toughest, says Palestinian pastor and theologian Dr Mitri Raheb, who is also the founder and president of Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem.

“I myself, as a pastor, don’t have a permit to go for the holy week, which is the most important week for Christians throughout the year because Jesus was crucified and risen in Jerusalem,” he told Al Jazeera.

“The Palestinian-Christian community that has been there for 2,000 years cannot go there to celebrate and mark this where it all happened.”

On the other hand, Raheb said, incitement against Palestinian Christians, especially clergy members, has been on the rise, with Israeli settlers attacking Christians and spitting at clergy even inside Jerusalem. This year alone, 43 such incidents took place, the pastor said.

“One of the first things you read about in church about Jesus is that he was like a lamb led to the slaughter. But when you hear this today as Palestinian Christians, you think it’s our whole people being led to slaughter, considering what is happening in Gaza.”