Ankara: An Israeli occupier spat at the entrance of the Monastery of St. James in the Armenian Quarter of occupied East Jerusalem's Old City, Palestinian authorities said Sunday. The Jerusalem Governorate stated that this incident is part of a series of repeated attacks targeting churches, monasteries, and Christian clergy in the Old City, which include spitting, insults, physical assaults, and vandalism. A video showing the Israeli occupier spitting at the entrance of the monastery was also released.
According to Anadolu Agency, the incident occurred a day after Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin met with a delegation from Churches for Middle East Peace on Saturday to discuss the ongoing attacks against Christians by Israelis. During the meeting, Shahin informed the delegation about the deteriorating situation in the West Bank and the escalating violence by Israeli occupiers under the protection of the Israeli army. She also pointed out the challenges facing the Christian presence in Palestine and the sharp decline in the Christian population due to the difficult conditions faced by Palestinians.
Members of the delegation expressed their intention to visit to show solidarity with the Palestinian people and voiced concern over the challenges facing Christians and their declining numbers in the Holy Land and across Palestine. On August 11, the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine highlighted that Israeli attacks against Christian communities threaten their longstanding presence in the land. The committee noted that these attacks are not isolated incidents but part of an ongoing pattern, including land confiscations, settlement expansion, and restrictions on freedom of worship.
About a week ago, Christian schools in occupied East Jerusalem suspended classes until further notice after Israel failed to renew entry permits for more than 70 teachers and staff members, preventing them from reaching their schools. These developments occur amid repeated attacks against the Christian presence in the Palestinian territories, including attacks on clergy and churches involving spitting, insults, and other forms of harassment. Since the start of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the occupied West Bank has witnessed a sharp rise in daily Israeli military raids and attacks by occupiers.