American church endeavors to stop attacks on churches of occupied Jerusalem

The occupation authorities continue their attacks on Christian and Islamic churches and sanctities in the occupied city of Jerusalem, and continue to violate the freedom of worship of Christians and Muslims. These attacks and violations are considered a violation of international humanitarian law, human rights law, and all religious laws, which has sparked the anger and condemnation of many human rights institutions and organizations. And many religious institutions and Christian churches, in a large number of countries around the world.

In this context, we point out the position of the churches and Christian institutions in the United States of America, which rejected and condemned these violations and attacks, and called for the protection of the Palestinian Christian presence, as more than 30 individuals directed this matter, including church leaders and representatives of Christian institutions in the United States of America, along with a number of church representatives in Holy Lands, two letters to US President Joe Biden dated September 11, 2023, to stop these ongoing attacks and violations by the occupation authorities and herds of settlers.

In their letter to President Biden, the heads and representatives of churches and Christian institutions in the United States of America expressed their deep concern about what Christians are being exposed to in the Holy Land, especially with the escalation of attacks against clergy, monasteries and churches, under the extreme right-wing Israeli occupation government, stressing their support. The full position of the leaders of the churches in Jerusalem and their rejection of all racist and extremist practices, and attempts at Judaization that the Israeli government is trying to impose on the city of Jerusalem.

The message emphasized that Christian Palestinians are an essential and major part of the cultural, religious and political fabric in Jerusalem and the Holy Land, and this presence extends for more than two thousand years, adding that security, freedom and prosperity cannot be achieved except through equality among all peoples.

The heads and representatives of the churches called on President Biden, ahead of his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to put pressure on stopping all forms of violence and incitement against Christians in the Holy Land, and to put an end to the extremist practices that churches, cemeteries and holy places are exposed to, noting that the world views these matters with concern. The attacks and hateful acts against the Christian presence, especially in the city of Jerusalem, expressing their concern about the threats to the Mount of Olives and the Israeli attempts to strip the churches of their right to manage the site. Pointing out that the Israeli plans to transform the Mount of Olives into an Israeli national park will have far-reaching consequences, threatening to cause an imbalance in the religious and heritage balance of the city of Jerusalem and its character as a city of global importance.

It is worth noting that Christians and Christian sanctities in Jerusalem were subjected to approximately 40 violent attacks during the past months of June and July, which included attacks on Christian priests, cemeteries and tombstones, and the storming of churches. Maariv says that since the election of the government, and especially since the appointment of members of the extremist wing as ministers and members of the Knesset, A feverish race has begun to suppress the activities of other religions, including Christianity, especially in Jerusalem, which is the heart of the dispute between Jews and Palestinian Christians.

Several churches in Jerusalem were subjected to attacks by settlers, without the Israeli occupation police taking any measures against the settlers’ terrorism. Last March, two settlers attempted to attack the Church of the Tomb of the Virgin Mary “Gethsemane” in the occupied city of Jerusalem. In addition to the terrorist attacks targeting churches, cemeteries, and Christian property, the physical and verbal attacks against Christian clergy at the hands of extremist Zionist groups, the restrictions and the prevention of the free practice of worship, these have become almost daily events that increase in frequency during the Christian holiday seasons, and nothing is done about them, locally or internationally, despite From the calls, appeals and protests made by the churches of the Holy Land individually and collectively, such that the authentic Christian presence in the Holy Land has become seriously endangered.

Since the beginning of this year, settlers have committed several attacks on Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. A settler stormed the “Christ’s Imprisonment” Church in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, broke and destroyed some of its contents, and tried to set fire to it. The Episcopal Church cemetery was also attacked and broke the crosses. The Armenian Patriarchate was also subjected to an attempt to storm it, and racist slogans were written on its walls.

Palestinian Christians are forced to obtain permits to pass through the Israeli occupation checkpoints surrounding the occupied city of Jerusalem, on their way to Christian and Islamic places of worship in the Holy City, which constitutes a violation of international laws that guarantee freedom of worship.

These attacks and violations against Christian churches by the occupation forces and settler gangs, in the occupied city of Jerusalem, called on representatives and leaders of Christian churches and institutions in the United States of America to condemn these serious violations that affect the religious rights of Christians, and to take positive action and address US President Joe Biden. To stop it and put an end to it once and for all, to protect the Christian presence in occupied Jerusalem, and to protect their right to practice their religious rituals freely and without any restrictions.

Despite the importance and necessity of this positive and important stance of the leaders and representatives of churches and Christian religious institutions in the United States of America, the success of these efforts in stopping the attacks on Christians and their churches depends on a serious and practical stance by the American administration, especially by the American President, to put pressure on the right-wing occupation government. extremism, and force it to stop these violations and attacks.