"We, the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, watched with sorrowful hearts the horrific scenes of the brutal treatment of our clergy, people, and pilgrims in the Old City of Jerusalem during Holy Saturday last week.
"A day of joy and celebration was turned to great sorrow and pain for some of our faithful because they were ill-treated by some Israeli policemen who were present around the gates of the Old City and passages that lead to the Holy Sepulcher."
The Times of Israel online reported on May 12 that last week's Coptic Easter Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was marred when police at the site prevented three Egyptian diplomats from participating, including Mostafa Al-Qouni, the second-highest-ranking Egyptian at the Tel Aviv embassy.
It said a Coptic bishop who was with Qouni beaten during the incident who briefly lost consciousness was treated at a Jerusalem hospital and later released.
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