Video| Extremist Israeli settlers vandalize property of Jerusalem’s Greek Orthodox Patriarchate
Occupied Jerusalem (QNN)- Jerusalem’s Greek Orthodox Patriarchate condemned on Tuesday vandalism works carried out by extremist Israeli settlers on its property.
The groundskeeper, very shaken by the latest in a string of vandalism and trespassing at the site, said "He wanted to burn my eyes, but I wouldn’t let him. They said 'watch your back, we are going to find you and kill you – it’s our land, it’s not your land.' "#jerusalem pic.twitter.com/bQJf0W6eDd
— Protecting Holy Land Christians (@ProtectingHLC) June 6, 2022
2/2 This trespasser has broken into the Chapel of the Pentecost but is not keen to have his face shown on camera #jerusalem #mtzion #pentecost #hatecrimes #christians pic.twitter.com/RLfHFQCv6i
— Protecting Holy Land Christians (@ProtectingHLC) June 6, 2022
1/2 This morning on #mtzion in #jerusalem there was a dreadful attack on the Chapel of the Pentecost – with radical groups threatening violence to the #christian church groundskeeper and vandalising and breaking into the holy chapel. pic.twitter.com/Kh6G32DVGv
— Protecting Holy Land Christians (@ProtectingHLC) June 6, 2022
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Jerusalem’s Greek Orthodox Patriarchate denounced what it described as “new threats and vandalism” carried out by “a group of approximately fifty Israeli radicals of unknown origin.”
On Monday, 6 June at around 10:30 am local time, Israeli radicals, it said, broke into the gate and barriers and trespassed into the Greek Garden on Mt Zion in Jerusalem, property of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
It noted that these radicals entered the chapel and defiled its interior and also threatened the guard at the premises appointed by the Patriarchate, saying “we know where you live and we will kill you”.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate slammed the attack, saying “this type of trespass, intimidation and threatening have repeatedly taken place in this chapel, violating its holiness and continued witness of the Christian presence there since the time of the Last Supper and the day of Pentecost.”
“Escaping the harsh intimidation and fury of the radicals, the guard managed to call the police who came and intervened to restore order.”
The Patriarchate “strongly” rejected this “unacceptable behaviour”,” saying it “will check all the possibilities to attain justice for its rights and personnel.”
The complaint to the police was filed by the President of the Finance Committee and Patriarchal Commissioner, His Eminence Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, who demanded that the police must do all they can to find the “vandals and bring about justice, for the sake of the peace of the Christians, especially as we approach the celebration of the Holy Pentecost next Sunday and the Feast of the Holy Spirit on Monday.”
