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Abbot Nicodemus Schnabel, head of the Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem, called on the Israeli government for stronger measures to be taken against attacks on Christians after he was spat on by two Jews in the Old City, while he was walking with a German journalist who documented the incident.
“The Latin Patriarchate condemns the unprovoked and shameful attack,” it said in a statement. The perpetrators were arrested by the police immediately afterward. “Prosecuting the perpetrators of such hate crimes is an important means of deterring and improving the sense of security of Christian clergy in the Holy Land, particularly in Jerusalem,” the statement said.
A police spokeswoman said that two suspects had been arrested and placed under house arrest, noting that one of them is 17 years old and resides in Jerusalem. This is not the first time that a Christian cleric has been attacked in the Old City of Jerusalem.
A police spokeswoman said that two suspects had been arrested and placed under house arrest, noting that one of them is 17 years old and resides in Jerusalem. This is not the first time that a Christian cleric has been attacked in the Old City of Jerusalem.
***SEE ALSO Previous Attacks on Christians in the Holy Land :
Bishop Marcuzzo Reports Attacks of Schools and Conventshttps://www.catholicnewsworld.com/2023/03/bishop-marcuzzo-reports-attacks-of.html
Church with the Tomb of the Virgin Mary is Attacked
https://www.catholicnewsworld.com/2023/03/breakingnews-church-with-tomb-of-virgin.html
Tourist Desecrates Statue of Jesus in the Holy Land among a Series of Attacks
https://www.catholicnewsworld.com/2023/02/american-tourist-desecrates-statue-of.html
Monastery Stella Maris, in Haifa, and other Christian Sites and Figures Attacked in Israel
https://www.catholicnewsworld.com/2023/08/historic-catholic-monastery-in-stella.html ****
Incidents like Father Schnabel's are mostly carried out by religious Jewish youth. The German Benedictine priest said: "For me, it was a very sad story. It was the Sabbath, and for someone who dresses as a religious Jew to act like that. It was a desecration of the Sabbath."
Regarding attacks on Christians in Israel, he explained that “usually no one films these incidents, unlike what happened to me on Saturday when the German woman recorded what happened that day. My position is that I am not angry, but rather I pray for them. I hope that we teach the youth that Religiosity is not a matter of being against each other, but a matter of the good of all. And I know that they are not the majority in Israel.”
Abbot Nicodemus Schnabel said that he wants the Israeli government and the general public to recognize the problem of “Christian hatred on the Jewish side,” pointing out that it is “not a big problem,” but it is being ignored. Nicodemus confirmed that he received a lot of solidarity from his fellow rabbis and Muslims after the attack, but that "this small extremist group still exists."
The Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, which is located on the edge of the Old City of Jerusalem, has often been the target of attacks. According to the German father, these attacks have included graffiti, tearing up car tires, desecrating cemeteries and smashing windows. In 2014, he was also subjected to arson.
In recent years, incidents of attacks have increased, including spitting on the cleric, on his clothes, on the ground he walks on, or at the entrance to religious places. Spitting on a person is considered assault under Israel's Criminal Law (Article 378) and is punishable by up to one year in prison, and up to two years when done on religious or national grounds. (Sources: Abouna.org and Vatican News)
Regarding attacks on Christians in Israel, he explained that “usually no one films these incidents, unlike what happened to me on Saturday when the German woman recorded what happened that day. My position is that I am not angry, but rather I pray for them. I hope that we teach the youth that Religiosity is not a matter of being against each other, but a matter of the good of all. And I know that they are not the majority in Israel.”
Abbot Nicodemus Schnabel said that he wants the Israeli government and the general public to recognize the problem of “Christian hatred on the Jewish side,” pointing out that it is “not a big problem,” but it is being ignored. Nicodemus confirmed that he received a lot of solidarity from his fellow rabbis and Muslims after the attack, but that "this small extremist group still exists."
The Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, which is located on the edge of the Old City of Jerusalem, has often been the target of attacks. According to the German father, these attacks have included graffiti, tearing up car tires, desecrating cemeteries and smashing windows. In 2014, he was also subjected to arson.
In recent years, incidents of attacks have increased, including spitting on the cleric, on his clothes, on the ground he walks on, or at the entrance to religious places. Spitting on a person is considered assault under Israel's Criminal Law (Article 378) and is punishable by up to one year in prison, and up to two years when done on religious or national grounds. (Sources: Abouna.org and Vatican News)
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