New episode of spitting at Christians in the Old City in Jerusalem by two Orthodox Jews. She reported him Wadie Abunassar, spokesperson of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land. The spitting – according to the same source – was directed yesterday towards Nikodemus Schnabel, abbot of the Dormition of Jerusalem. The other Orthodox – according to Abunassar – instead insulted Jesus. The two, including a minor under 17, were stopped by the police. Condemnation of the episode by the Tel Aviv government, but the PNA attacks, accusing far-right Israeli ministers of ‘sowing hatred’.
Images released by Abunassar show the Benedictine abbot Schnabel while – near the street of the Armenian Patriarchate, in the Old City of Jerusalem – he is harassed by some young Orthodox people, who then try to prevent him from filming them with his cell phone. Some insults in Hebrew are also thrown towards him. “It was a clear aggression – said Abunassar – following which it is necessary that we now hear a strong and clear condemnation from the political and religious leaders of Israel”. According to Abunassar, in the last two years episodes of this kind have instead concluded without punitive measures for those responsible. Abunassar praised the Israeli police for having acted in this circumstance with great promptness and expressed the hope that a strong message will now be issued by the judges, which will discourage the recurrence of these cases. To this end, he added, however, a “clear educational commitment” must also be combined.
The Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz he “firmly condemned the ugly acts against members of other religions”https://gazzettadelsud.it/articoli/mondo/2024/02/04/ostaggi-stasera-hamas-risponde-sputi-sui-cristiani-nella-citta-vecchia -lanp-attacca-la-destra-f4f62729-b5eb-4e71-87d1-2dc28b3f5898/.”Once again – he denounced – an ugly episode of spitting against Christian clerics in Jerusalem”https://gazzettadelsud.it/articoli/ world/2024/02/04/hostages-tonight-hamas-responds-by-spitting-on-christians-in-the-old-city-lanp-attacks-the-right-f4f62729-b5eb-4e71-87d1-2dc28b3f5898/.”Under the government of the State of Israel, all members of religions – he underlined – will be able to enjoy complete freedom of worship, as never before. As the prophet said: ‘because my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations ‘”.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry he condemned the two Orthodox Jews who yesterday spat on a Christian priest in the Old City of Jerusalem, also insulting Jesus. And he blamed “incitement” on the part of far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir And Bezalel Smotrich as an expression of a “racist colonial culture” that “denies the existence of the other”. The ministry then argued that “settler militias” feel emboldened by a “sense of political and legal impunity” that encourages them to persist in “sowing hatred” and “provoking Palestinian citizens and members of other religions.”
Media: ‘Hamas’ response on the hostage deal tonight’
Hamas and the other Palestinian factions in Gaza will release a joint statement in response to the proposed hostage agreement this evening at 7pm (6pm in Italy). The Israeli newspaper Maariv reported this, quoting the Saudi TV channel ‘Al-Hadath’. According to Maariv, the Israeli War Cabinet is also expected to meet this evening.