Hundreds of Jewish protesters, including Jerusalem's deputy mayor, have confronted Christian worshippers at an archaeological park next to the Western Wall and yelled at them for them to leave. This incident occurred during a Sunday prayer service.
The incident happened in response to a call for prayer from an Evangelical Christian group at the Davidson Center, an archaeological park south of the Western Wall Plaza that gives visitors access to a portion of the Jewish holy site. This incident highlights the escalating conflicts between Christian Evangelicals and Israeli religious nationalists, who support Israel politically and financially but hold very different theological views.
Christian Worshipers Face Protests at Western Wall Prayer Event
According to the Times of Israel, the prayer meeting culminated in 21 days of fasting and prayer called by the International House of Prayer of Kansas City, an Evangelical movement, and was advertised on Christian websites as a movement to safeguard Jerusalem and God's "purpose for Israel." Also, to act as "guardians on the walls" of the city was the reason why participants were invited.
Police intervened to clear the way for the worshipers during the prayer service, pushing several of the protesters, including Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Arieh King. In the ensuing altercations, at least one individual was detained, and at least one glass door of the Davidson Center was broken.
The Davidson Center, which is next to the egalitarian plaza south of the Western Wall central plaza, is today used by non-Orthodox Jews as a place of worship without restrictions. The Foreign Ministry responded to the incident by stating that it deplores "any harm to the freedom of religion and worship in Jerusalem" as well as any assaults on religious leaders in the area. The declaration stressed the value of these liberties in Jerusalem, which is sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims, defining them as a core principle in the city's way of life.
Also Read:Orthodox Easter Celebrations Hindered by Israeli Restrictions in Jerusalem
Growing Hostility Towards Christianity
According to the article shared in Israel today, short videos of young Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem near Christian clerics spitting on the ground are becoming viral on social media. This, according to critics, is proof of Israel's alleged institutional abuse of religious minorities. There was no physical violence; rather, a small group of rowdy teenagers were the culprits.
The editor of an ultra-Orthodox journal, Yossi Elitov, claims that while the Church has historically victimized Jews, it has distanced itself from such behavior in recent years. Rabbi Rafi Ostroff urged more tolerance as well. He and others brought up the unfair treatment of Christians by Muslims, particularly in areas not under Israeli military supervision. The underreporting of this topic is regarded as a serious issue.
According to Le Monde, concern is being raised by a disturbing trend of attacks in Jerusalem against Christians and their places of worship. On February 2, an Orthodox Jewish visitor from America stabbed a Christ statue located inside the Old City's Chapel of Flagellation. According to the Jerusalem Inter-church Center and the Protecting Holy Land Christians campaign, this was the fifth attack in five weeks, compared to 13 in 2020 and nine in 2021. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem attributes the rise in violence to what is thought to be a political and public acceptance of violence and discrimination in Israel. Father Nikodemus Schnabel of the Dormition Abbey expressed his concern on Twitter, claiming a rise in anti-Christian prejudice that appears to be condoned by the authorities.
Related Article:Jerusalem Church Attack Prompts Call for Global Safeguarding of Holy Sites by Religious Leaders
