Herzog labels anti-Christian attacks in Israel 'a true disgrace'
The president laments uptick of attacks 'in the last weeks and months especially'
Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned growing attacks on Christians among extremist fringes of Israeli society, especially in the Jewish state’s capital, Jerusalem.
During a speech at a memorial ceremony for the leading Zionist pioneer thinker, Theodor Herzl, the president called the more recent phenomenon “a true disgrace” for Israel’s culturally and religiously diverse society.
“I utterly condemn violence, in all its forms, directed by a small and extreme group, towards the holy places of the Christian faith, and against Christian clergy in Israel,” stated Herzog.
“This includes spitting, and the desecration of graves and churches,” added the president who lamented the uptick of attacks “in the last weeks and months especially.”
“The State of Israel is committed to putting an end to this phenomenon," Herzog affirmed.
Christian Zionists have played an important role in supporting the re-establishment of the first Jewish state established in 2,000 years. In addition, Israel is one of very few Middle Eastern countries with a stable and growing Christian minority.
In June, far-right Jewish activists harassed attendees on their way to a Messianic Jewish concert in Jerusalem. The protests deteriorated into riots, which required police intervention.
Bentzi Gopstein, the founder of the far-right religious Jewish organization Lehava, justified the violent protests.
“The missionary conference was designed to convert Jews from their religion and there is no place for that in Jerusalem. In a democracy, I must come and demonstrate,” said Gopstein at the time.
However, organizers of the worship event denied there was any evangelistic aspect to the evening.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
