The prime minister in Ramallah gave holiday greetings at an event with Christian clergymen and other officials Saturday, the day before Easter.

"This holiday brings with it joy and the promise of a better future," Salam Fayyad said.

"It is a religious and national holiday for Muslim and Christian Palestinians," he said.

"We will celebrate this holiday at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in East Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Palestinian state, at a time when our aspirations for freedom and independence are realized."

Tradition holds that Jesus was crucified at the site, which is widely considered the holiest for Christians.