Nun is attacked in streets of Jerusalem, sparking outcry
Footage of a man attacking a French nun in Jerusalem has sparked outcry and condemnation from Christian leaders who have raised concerns about a wave of targeted violence.
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CCTV footage, released Thursday by Israeli police, shows a man running behind a nun dressed in a white dress and pushing her to the ground.
The nun falls hard and remains on the sidewalk, while the man begins to walk away. While the nun is still on the ground, he returns and kicks her, also challenging a passerby who appeared to be trying to intervene.
Police said the incident happened on Tuesday and a suspect was arrested on suspicion of racially motivated assault.
Neither the name of the suspect nor the victim has been released, although police shared images of what appear to be bruises on the victim’s face. The French consulate in Jerusalem indicated that the victim was a nun from the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem.
The video was filmed near the tomb of King David at the holy site of Mount Zion in Jerusalem, the city that has been home to three religious faiths – Christianity, Judaism and Islam – for centuries.
The director of the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem, Father Olivier Poquillon, thanked all those who came to the nun’s aid, declaring in a post on X: “The scourge of hatred is a common challenge.”
Farid Jubran, public and government affairs advisor for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, told Catholic media outlet Crux that it was a “repugnant and barbaric hate crime committed against a defenseless nun.”
Israeli police said in a post on
He added: “In a city sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, we remain committed to protecting all communities and ensuring that those responsible for violence are held accountable. »
Wadie Abunassar, coordinator of the Holy Land Christian Forum, called attacks targeting Christians a growing phenomenon. He attributed the rapid response to the attack on the nun to the fact that it was filmed.
He said he felt “great anger at the system and great sadness because I feel like this is not going to end anytime soon.” One problem, he says, is deterrence against such violence.
“Often in such cases there are no arrests and if there are arrests, sometimes after one or two days, (the suspects) are released,” he added. “In some cases, the police do not recommend to the prosecution to file a complaint or charge them. And in some cases, when there is an indictment, it is light.”
NBC News has contacted the Vatican for comment on the incident.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry condemned what it called a “despicable attack,” adding that “violence against innocent individuals, and in particular against members of religious communities, has no place in our society.”
The attack follows several recent incidents involving Christian communities in Israel and neighboring Lebanon, where Israeli attacks continue despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
Last month, two Israeli soldiers were removed from combat duty after a photo surfaced online showing one of the soldiers brandishing what appeared to be an ax or hammer in front of a statue of Jesus Christ in the area of the Christian village of Debel, southern Lebanon. The incident sparked outrage and was condemned by Israeli leaders and the military.
And in March, Israeli police blocked Christian religious leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem to celebrate Palm Sunday mass, in another incident that sparked international outrage and a swift public response from the Israeli government.
For years, Christian clergy who live and work in Jerusalem have reported being frequently spat on, harassed and even physically assaulted by Israeli extremists.
