Bishops condemn attacks on Christian sites and symbols

The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land responded with a statement:

It is indeed sad that we need to concern ourselves with attacks on our holy sites and religious symbols instead of with constructive dialogue promoting mutual respect and with joint preparation for the upcoming visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to our country next month. This is a visit to all the inhabitants of this country and not only to the Christians.

Yesterday, an apparently Jewish person delivered a threatening letter to His Excellency Bishop Boulos Marcuzzo, Latin Patriarchal Vicar in Nazareth. The letter recommended that the Christians leave the country, threatening to kill those who delayed and first and foremost the Christian spiritual leadership. The letter was received the very same day that an attack took place on the church in Tabgha, situated on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, where a cross was also smashed.

These attacks take place as we awoke this morning to hear about the attack on the mosque in Firdeis. There is a grave and increasing frequency of what are called “price tag” attacks, which, in the absence of any real response, are becoming a dangerous phenomenon, threatening one and all.

We do not limit ourselves here to denunciation, which seems to fall on deaf ears, resulting, at best, in empty promises made by state officials, but we also issue an appeal that the officials of the State of Israel urge the security forces to bring the perpetrators to justice. We also demand a thorough and serious investigation of those who incite, on an almost daily basis, against those who differ from them in opinion or belief.

The time has come to join together in the efforts to root out this dangerous phenomenon from our Holy Land. Officials must prevent the perpetrators from feeling as if they are above the law. We hold these officials responsible for what is happening and what might happen, while we pray that the events of yesterday and today might be the last of these criminal events, witnessed by our holy places and religious symbols in this Holy Land.

The Media Commission of the Assembly

Jerusalem, April 29, 2014