Forbidden as in Law?
Or are you talking about Syria and Iraq only? Is there any restriction on Israel as well?
Many of the Holy Pilgrimage sites for Christians are all over there. Jerusalem is only one place. Others include Galilee , Bethlehem. Some areas that are outside "Judea" are now within Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Some of the Holy sites such as Tyre, Sidon, Tiberias, Caesarea, Mount Tabor, Jerash, Amman, Mount Nebo, Madeba, Kerak, Petra, Antioch, Aleppo. And these are just the ones i can name .
In particular, I belong (baptized and active in) to the Greek Orthodox Church and I attend a Greek Orthodox (which is the genesis of many Orthodox branches, such as Ukrainian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Romanian, Bulgarian, Syrian Orthodox et al) --- one of our earliest footprint was in Syria. In Syria, there are still very strong remnants of the Byzantine Rite of Orthodoxy, and it is known as Melkites in Syria,
@Syrian Lion brother -- im sure you heard of this, and i think it is known as Malaki in Syrian tongue, right? But anyways, a well known Pilgrimage site for us Greek Christian Orthodox is the Church of the Lady of Entrance of the Theotokos in Hama. It is close to what was known as Antioch in the days of old.
Syria , to us, is pivotal in the beginnings of Christianity and Christian Orthodoxy. The churches, abeys, monasteries, are more than 2 millenia old , and this is why --- to us --- the war in that country bleeds our hearts.
I'm not talking as one who lives in the 'west', but as one who is a Christian Orthodox. Syria is considered a very Holy Place....
I swear by Allah you guys are in my prayers daily, just before I sleep I offer beseech the Lord to help my Christian cousins of Sham and my Muslim brothers and sisters.
I'll continue to pray but I'll ask the Assyrians they help the Syrian brothers and sisters.
Thank you, brother. I have read the 99 names of the Almighty, and one name that i always love is 'Al-Wadud'. THE LOVING. Yes, Allah SWT, or as we Christians call him Father God , He Is Love....