Why you’re at risk of being spat on in Jerusalem (if you’re a Christian)

Five people were arrested in Israel after a video was released showing Orthodox Jews spitting on a group of Christians in the holy city of Jerusalem. The images sparked outrage in the country, which has become increasingly divided between secularists and religious fundamentalists after the most conservative government in the country’s history came to power at the end of last year. Many believe that the executive branch led by Benjamin Netanyahu is with powerful ultranationalist members such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who leads the Religious Zionists, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of Otzma Yehudit (Jewish). Force) helped create a sense of impunity around Jewish extremists and settlers.

The disturbing video, which led to the arrest of five people, was filmed in the Old City on Monday, October 2. By a journalist from Haaretz newspaper and shows several Orthodox Jews, including young children, spitting on the ground as they passed a group of foreign Christian pilgrims carrying a wooden cross. Netanyahu condemned the incident and promised “immediate and decisive action.” “Israel is fully committed to protecting the right of all faiths to worship and make pilgrimages to their holy sites,” he said in his message to X.


But tensions were further fueled by comments by Elisha Yered, the leader of ultranationalist settlers and a former adviser to Netanyahu’s ruling coalition, who defended the gesture by claiming that spitting on Christian clergy and churches was an “ancient Jewish tradition.” “Perhaps under the influence of Western culture we have somehow forgotten what Christianity is,” wrote the man under house arrest who is suspected of involvement in the murder of a 19-year-old Palestinian. But the country’s religious affairs minister, Michael Malkieli, a member of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, argued that spitting was “not the way of the Torah” and one of Israel’s top rabbis also insisted spitting had nothing to do with Judaism. law.

Around 15 thousand Christians, mostly Palestinians, live in Jerusalem. Members of the small Christian community have reported facing increasing harassment and threats from Jewish ultranationalists, especially since Netanyahu’s right-wing government took office late last year. Vatican-appointed Latin patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa said the Christian community in the region was under pressure from extremists who harassed clergy and damaged religious property. In June, Father Francesco Patton, the Vatican custodian of the Holy Land, blamed Israeli politicians for the situation, claiming that the wave of attacks began “when political language became more violent.” The bishop mentioned the desecration of a Lutheran cemetery, an act of vandalism at a Maronite place of worship, and the writing of “Death to Christians” on an Armenian property, three incidents that occurred within a few weeks.

This summer, an Israeli journalist was jeered and spat at, including by a child and a soldier, as he spent a day in Jerusalem disguised as a priest investigating a spiral of hate crimes against Christians in the city. In November, troops from the Givati ​​infantry brigade spat on the Armenian archbishop during a parade. The soldiers were then punished. In January, the Mount Zion Protestant Christian cemetery was desecrated and more than 30 graves were damaged. Two young Orthodox men, ages 15 and 18, are being tried for this gesture.

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Source: Today IT

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