Anti-Christian graffiti was daubed on the Church of the Dormition, one of Jerusalem’s leading pilgrimage sites, early on Friday, an AFP correspondent reported.
Police said they suspected Jewish religious extremists of spraying the Hebrew-language insults at the site, where tradition says the Virgin Mary died.
“The attack, suspected to be nationalistically motivated, was discovered on the wall of the Dormition Church in the Old City, and the tyres of cars nearby were slashed,” police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP.
The words “price tag” and “Christians are apes” were scrawled in Hebrew on the walls of the church, Rosenfeld said, adding police were investigating the incident.
An AFP correspondent said “Jesus is a monkey” was also written on the door to the adjacent cemetery, part of the church complex.
“Price tag” is a euphemism for revenge hate crimes by Israeli extremists, which normally target Palestinians and Arabs.
Initially carried out in retaliation for state moves to dismantle unauthorised settler outposts, they have become increasingly unrelated to any specific government measures.
The attacks tend to involve the vandalism or destruction of Palestinian property and have included multiple arson attacks on cars, mosques and olive trees.
Perpetrators are rarely caught.
At first, the attacks were predominantly in the West Bank, but they have expanded over time to include sites inside Israel, and a number of Christian sites have been targeted.
In December, vandals sprayed anti-Christian graffiti on Jerusalem’s Monastery of the Cross and at an Armenian cemetery, in an apparent price tag attack by Jewish extremists.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem condemned the Friday attack, which it called “a despicable attempt to undermine the coexistence between different faiths.”
Bishop William Shomali added in a statement it was “absolutely necessary to end these acts of vandalism by the means of better educating the youth, especially in schools.”
Pictures released by the Latin Patriarchate showed that the words “Havat Maon” and “slave generation” were also scrawled on cars and a door at the Dormition complex.
“Havat Maon” is the name of a settlement outpost in the southern West Bank, and “slave generation” an apparent play on the name of Dormition, which in Hebrew sounds like “generation from Zion.”
On Wednesday, suspected Jewish extremists carried out a string of attacks on Palestinian cars in the West Bank, including east Jerusalem, apparently linked to the stabbing to death of settler Eviatar Borovsky by a Palestinian in April.
Earlier this month, vandals desecrated graves and damaged property in a West Bank village.
Following Borovsky’s killing, settlers went on the rampage, stoning Palestinian vehicles in the northern West Bank, including a school bus carrying children.
They also smashed windows of a mosque and set fire to Palestinian farmland.
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Its so sad what intolerance is causing, d world over. D jews ve always bn hiding their atrocities, intolerance n hatred towards other faiths. Dt claim to be d supreme beings, especially wit US "licking their boots". This particular incident just can't be ignored dts y they r broadcasting it.
ReplyDeleteImagine d comments this wld have generated had it happened in SaudiArabia or any muslim country. It amuses me to c tons of comments "instantly" written when it has sth to do wit islam. God help us sha o!
ReplyDeleteMake una dey look well well, anytin dm talk say musulumi do or no do, na him comment go full pass. For starts, Just look at d last article on "70 virgins…", n c d number of comments! Now its jews, n everyone is suddenly mum.
ReplyDeleteNo be today. E don tay wey dm dey abuse us. Na only our JP money dm dy like chop. Yeye pipo.
ReplyDeletewhy no comments fro people like Emex, Legacy etc who always believe that terrorism is only applicable to ISLAM .
ReplyDeleteOur Moslem brothers should learn something here! The Christians have not started killing or causing riots because of this obvious blasphamy!
ReplyDeleteE don tey wen nyash de back.
ReplyDeleteSo who is fooling who ?
Anonymous 12:04 am:Those ill hearted dogs will never speek the truth because they lack concience and their belief, actions,and faith are justify base on ignorance,lack of wisdom and hypochrise.what a stupid and irresponsible set of animals that call themself human beings!
ReplyDeletethe only reason why there are fewer comments in criticism of christianity is because most moslems are illiterates. this is not aimed to insult but it is a fact
ReplyDeletePls leave the Muslims out this time, let there be more comment to Israeli from Christians.
ReplyDeleteThe word illiterate simply means the party aiming at is not well educated. How does illiterate relate to o the issue on ground, we should at least adopt the appropriate words inplace of awkward ones!!!
ReplyDeleteNow, All of you, tell me.. WHO DID THEY KILL? Christians only responds against muslim faith. As if what the jews are doing should justify Isalam. Did they carry their guns to Nigeria or any part of the world for any destruction and bombing Bcos Xtians are there? Is the christian community claping their hands in appreciation of their action? Waiting on answers before I PROCEED...
ReplyDelete