Increased attacks by Ultra-Orthodox Jews against Christians in Israel

The behaviour, which ranges from harassment to vandalism, spitting and assaults, is targeting not only clergy but also Christian tourists identifiable by religious symbols.

Christians in the State of Israel constitute less than two percent of the population but maintain a formidable role in shaping the region’s heritage, sites and society. Their roots trace back to the earliest days of Christian communities, claiming direct ties to disciples of Jesus during the Second Temple period. Since the 7th century Umayyad occupation, the community has primarily been Arabic-speaking, and as such, today, commonly recognised as Palestinian Arab Christians.

The clergy, alongside the lay community, are an integral part of the Christian presence and heritage in Israel. While some clergy members are locals, many arrived in Israel driven by their religious devotion and mission to serve in holy places, offering religious services and prayers to the local communities and pilgrims who visit the Holy Land.

Beyond their custodial responsibilities for the holy sites, religious communities, including brothers and sisters, have consistently attended to the needs of the Christian population. They provide welfare and relief services, education, medical assistance, professional training, and more, all aimed at fortifying and advancing the existing communities in the very places where pivotal Christian events unfolded.

As a Christian minority within the country, the lay communities and clergy have adeptly maintained amicable relations with the authorities to safeguard their status, property, and, most significantly, the holy places.

Christians in Israel are divided among 13 official Christian denominations, along with other Protestant communities and groups. While this diversity may complicate cooperation in religious and leadership matters, it does not impede everyday life, particularly as they face shared challenges.

The past year has witnessed a growing number of incidents that include harassment and intimidation from Jewish extremists against Christians. There has been an upsurge in vandalism targeting churches, cemeteries, and Christian properties, in addition to physical and verbal abuse against Christian clergy, over the past months in the Holy Land.

Mistreatment such as spitting, has been reported for many years as part of the reality in Israel for clergy, particularly in Jerusalem. Complaints have rarely been filed with the police or authorities, as routine attacks were not always treated with due seriousness, including a case in 2009 involving a scuffle between ultra-Orthodox Jews and Armenian seminary students during a procession, which ended with the Armenian student being arrested and threated to be deported.

While precise data is still being collected and documented, the incidents we have been exposed to through eyewitness accounts, conversations with church personnel, and surveillance in sensitive areas indicate a notable surge in attacks and their severity. These attacks have targeted not only clergy residing in the country but also Christian tourists identifiable by their religious symbols.

The severity of these events has escalated beyond mere spitting incidents, with physical assaults (such as dousing tourists with liquids or engaging in altercations with Armenian clergymen) and substantial property damage. Instances of vandalism include the desecration of the Protestant cemetery and the destruction of tombstones adorned with crosses, along with offensive graffiti, stone-throwing, and window-breaking at religious buildings such as the Dormition Abbey at Mount Zion or Dom Polski, a Polish guest house that has been surrounded by an ultra-Orthodox population in the last 30 years.

In the northern city of Haifa a group of extremist Hasidic ultra-Orthodox men have tried to invade the Carmelite church which they claim to be the tomb of the biblical prophet Elisha. Thanks to increased awareness, documentation facilitated by private security cameras and individuals capturing images, it has become evident that the attackers come from the core of religious Jewish society, encompassing ultra-Orthodox and nationalist elements, rather than extremist fringe groups.

This phenomenon is backed with animosity towards Christians and their faith, based on ignorance, lack of understanding of their connection to the land, lack of familiarity with Christians and a lack of religious leadership that would promote inter-religious dialogue.

What has changed?
Given the growing interest in Christianity and the inclination to learn about Christians as observed within broader Israeli society, the Rossing Center, with more than 20 years of experience in Jewish-Christian relations, finds the paradox presented by these attacks particularly perplexing.

It is reasonable to assume that the extreme social climate, which enabled the formation of a government that includes members who undervalue the dignity of non-Jews and promote exclusionary policies targeting Palestinians and non-Jews, has contributed indirectly to a climate of tension and animosity in some circles of the Israeli society.

It is possible that this climate encourages attackers not to worry about the consequences of their actions, as they believe their behaviour reflects the prevailing zeitgeist.

Moreover, Palestinian Christians, deeply rooted in the Holy Land along with the broader Palestinian society, find themselves marginalised. They are worried about lack of equality, the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and an exponential increase in emigration to Europe and Armenia.

“Christians in the Holy Land don’t want special protections, but only respect of the fundamental rights that a democratic state should guarantee to all citizens and communities, irrespective of their religious affiliation,” the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal-designate Pierbattista Pizzaballa, said recently in an interview with the Vatican News.

In response to the escalation in the number of the incidents, numerous civil society organisations, independent activists and individuals have mobilised to address the issue seriously. Media coverage within Israel, coupled with the concern expressed by many Israelis, offers comfort and hope.

Efforts are underway to collect information and present a comprehensive overview of the current situation. It is imperative to encourage clergy members and witnesses of assault incidents to file complaints and reports, while exerting pressure on the authorities to treat each case with utmost seriousness, strongly condemning the phenomenon, and denying legitimacy to the attackers.

Simultaneously, the Rossing Center is continuing its educational activities aimed at fostering an inclusive society for members of all religions and nationalities in the country. This involves promoting understanding of diverse religious cultures, their heritage, and their connection to the Holy Land, while advocating for values such as mutual respect, openness, equality and justice for all.

The Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue is an interreligious organisation based in Jerusalem which promotes an inclusive society for all religious, ethnic and national groups.

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Photo: Bishop Hosam Naoum inspects damaged graves at a Protestant cemetery on Jerusalem's Mount Zion in January. A security camera showed two men wearing Jewish clothes vandalising the site (EPA/STR)