Three acts of aggression against Christians on one day

The Assembly underlines that on the very day of the canonization of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II (two great friends of the Jewish people) and as the Holy Land prepares to receive Pope Francis, extremists committed three hate crimes against Christian sites and symbols.

1. Extremists damaged three sites at Tabgha on the Sea of Galilee, throwing a cross into the sea and carving Stars of David.

2. Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Israel Boulos Marcuzzo received a letter from an extremist who told him to inform all Christians to leave Israel as they are “idol worshippers”. The letter warned of grave consequences if Christians did not obey. The man who signed and delivered the letter was later arrested by the police.

3. Orthodox faithful, gathered in the Orthodox church in the village of Bassa in Upper Galilee, were insulted and abused by Jewish neighbors during a baptism ceremony in the church of this destroyed village.

This all happened at the same time that a mosque in the village of Fureidis was attacked by Price Tag extremists.

Read the condemnation of the Bishops here