In Netanyahu and the Israel of ultra-Orthodox Jews, attacks and violence are only Muslimsbut also Christians. Catholic Church Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa complained of growing distrust for members of the millennial Christian community in and around Jerusalem. “These people feel protected – with reference to violence. They feel that the cultural and political context can now justify or tolerate actions against Christians”.
One of the most recently reported incidents to occur last month involved two Israelites entering the basilica adjacent to the Garden of Gethsemane, where the Virgin Mary is believed to be buried. The two attacked a nun with a metal stick before being arrested.
The number of attacks confirms the fears of the Christian community in Jerusalem, which is only 15,000 today, a sharp drop compared to 27,000 fifty years ago. According to the Jerusalem interchurch centre, 2023 promises to be the worst year for Christians in the past decade. The center said physical attacks and harassment of clergy were often not reported. However, from January to mid-March at least seven serious cases of vandalism against church property were documented; this is a sharp increase compared to the six cases recorded against Christians during the whole of 2022.
Church leaders blame Israeli extremists for much of the violence and say they fear it will escalate further. Pizzaballa’s concerns also cast a shadow over its promise to guarantee freedom of worship, made in the declaration that marked the founding of the state of Israel 75 years ago. A commitment jeopardized by Benjamin Netanyahu’s neoconservative government, which includes representatives of far-right factions and settlers in key roles. Examples include Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich or National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who were convicted in 2007 of inciting anti-Arab racism and supporting a Jewish militant group.
St. in Jerusalem “Proponents of the Right set themselves the goal of Judaizing the Old City and other lands,” Father Don Binder, pastor of the Anglican cathedral of St. George, told the Associated Press. “The churches are the biggest obstacle to this project,” the churchman added anxiously.
Source: Today IT

Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.