A video of Orthodox Jews spitting on the ground next to a procession of foreign Christians carrying a wooden cross has sparked outrage.
According to the Associated Press, the incident, which was captured by a reporter at Israel’s left-leaning Haaretz newspaper, was one of many “religiously motivated attacks” that occurred in Jerusalem where roughly 15,000 Christians are a minority.
He wrote:
“I am disgusted. Radical Jews spit at Christian pilgrims in Jerusalem’s Lion Gate. I condemn this hateful behavior. This video has been trending in Palestinian media to show how Israelis treat Christians, and I have to say that these are not the values of most Jews living in Israel. They do not understand the importance of the Judeo-Christian alliance. I ask you to forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Yisca Harani, Christian expert and founder of an Israeli hotline for anti-Christian assaults, spoke about the city’s persecution of Christians.
“What happened with right-wing religious nationalism is that Jewish identity has been growing around anti-Christianity. Even if the government doesn’t encourage it, they hint that there will be no sanctions,” he said.
After ultranationalist officials, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, came into power, Jewish extremists have become bolder due to an exemption from punishment, per the outlet.
On Tuesday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement insisting that Israel “is totally committed to safeguard the sacred right of worship and pilgrimage to the holy sites of all faiths.”
“I strongly condemn any attempt to intimidate worshippers, and I am committed to taking immediate and decisive action against it,” Netanyahu declared.