Israeli attacks against Christian clergy in occupied East Jerusalem are increasing, according to a Palestinian bishop on Monday: Anadolu Agency reports.
“There are more and more attacks on Christians and Christian holy sites by Israeli extremists,” said Evangelical Lutheran Church Bishop Emeritus Munib Younan. Anadolu.
He said the Israeli government was not serious about bringing those responsible for the attacks to justice.
“If the perpetrators are not held accountable, they will continue their attacks,” he warned. “But if a person is punished, it will have a deterrent effect.”
Israeli police arrested two Jewish settlers on Sunday for spitting on a Christian cleric in occupied East Jerusalem.
A video published by Israeli media shows two settlers spitting on and insulting a Christian abbot in Jerusalem’s Old City.
The two settlers were placed under house arrest pending an investigation, police said in a statement.
“House arrest does not serve as a deterrent,” the bishop said, adding that Israeli police do not respond to attacks on Christian clergy.
“The continued attacks are an indication of the incitement to hatred taking place in Jewish religious schools,” he added.
In recent years, there has been an increase in Israeli attacks on Christian clergy in Jerusalem, whether by settlers, who often spit on monks and verbally abuse them, or by the police themselves, who have been implicated in several incidents of physical attacks against them.
The incident occurred as tensions continued to rise in the occupied West Bank amid a deadly Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed at least 27,478 Palestinians and injured 66,835 others since October 7.
The Israeli army has since killed 381 Palestinians, injured 4,400 others and arrested 6,512 people in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian figures.
READ: Israel attacks Gaza’s history by destroying ancient mosques and churches
