The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine condemns in the strongest possible terms the disgraceful act of an Israeli settler who attempted to urinate at the entrance of St. James Church in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City, in a deeply offensive violation of the sanctity of a Christian holy site and a grave insult to the dignity and feelings of the faithful.
The Committee stresses that this incident is not an isolated act, but part of a continuing pattern of harassment, provocation, and attacks targeting the Armenian Christian community and its holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City. These incidents have ]\included repeated attacks against St. James Monastery, including spitting at its entrance, banging on its gates, and throwing stones into the monastery grounds.
The Committee emphasized that targeting Christian holy sites, violating their sanctity, or attacking members of the Christian community constitutes a serious violation of freedom of worship and the sacred character of holy places, and requires serious action to put an end to these attacks and hold those responsible to account.
