Description

Photos:
Father Ibrahim Faltas from the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. Credit: Photo by Palestinian journalist Christine Rinawi. Published by IMEMC News

A priest checks a damaged pew after a man poured out flammable liquid inside the Church of All Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane, east Jerusalem, December 4, 2020. Credit: AHMAD GHARABLI - AFP Published by Haaretx

______

by IMEMC News
Dec 5, 2020

An illegal Israeli settler, on Friday, set fire to the Church of All Nations, also known as Gethsemane Church, in occupied Jerusalem, before being arrested by Israeli police, Anadolu Agency reported.

According to a police statement, a 49-year-old suspect poured flammable liquid and started a fire in the holy site, causing mild damage to the Roman Catholic church.

It added that the arsonist was apprehended by security guards, and subsequently arrested by police.

Eyewitnesses said that after first noticing the attack the church guard Fadi Nicodeme, with the help of two guards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Hamza Ajaj, and Mahmoud Ajaj, who rushed to help, managed to repel the fire fast and ensure the Israeli assailant didn’t escape until the police arrived.

Hamza Ajaj said he lives near the church, and stated that once he noticed the colonist acting suspiciously, he and his cousin Mahmoud Ajaj rushed to the church, and saw the assailant trying to burn it, before apprehending him with the help of Fadi al-Moghrabi, the church guard, and Khalil Bassa, who works at the church.

The Palestine Chronicle has reported that the suspect, an illegal Israeli settler, was seen dousing the pews with liquid and attempting to burn them but was obstructed.

Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas denounced the attack by the colonist, labeling it a “hateful terrorist attack”, the Palestine News and Info Agency (WAFA) reported.

President Abbas accused the occupation government for this attack, as well as prior attacks, noting the particularly brutal and savage conduct of illegal Israeli colonists, who act with impunity, in plain sight of soldiers.

[Father Ibrahim Faltas from the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, Photo by Palestinian journalist Christine Rinawi]
_____

Jerusalem Man Arrested for Arson at One of Christianity's Holiest Sites

Fire at Church of All Nations in Jerusalem caused minor damage. Police say Jewish suspect's motive is criminal, but the Catholic church is asking for a thorough investigation

by Nir Hasson and Jack Khoury for Haaretz
Published on 04.12.2020

A Jerusalem man was arrested on Friday for spilling flammable liquid and setting it alight at the Church of All Nations in Jerusalem, causing minor damage.

According to the police report, the act caused minor damage to one pew and the mosaic floor. A guard at the scene detained the suspect until police arrived, who arrested him. Police said that a preliminary investigation shows that the suspect had criminal motives.

The perpetrator, a 49-year-old Jewish resident of Jerusalem, was detained by a security guard until police arrived. According to a later statement, investigators seem to believe the attack had criminal rather than political motives.

The Church of All Nations sits on the Mount of Olives, near the Garden of Gethsemane. Also known as the Basilica of the Agony, it is a Roman Catholic church and is overseen by the Custody of the Holy Land, a Franciscan order, on behalf of the Vatican. It is one of Christianity's holiest sites; according to Christian tradition, Jesus prayed at the site before he was arrested by the Romans prior to his crucifixion.

The Custodia Terrae Sanctae, the local representative of the Catholic Church, released a statement in which they "fiercely condemned this terrible, shameful and deliberate act, which was carried out in such a sacred and precious place for hundreds of millions of Christians in the Holy Land and in the world."

The statement added, "To our regret, churches and Christian sites throughout the Holy Land bore witness to various hate crimes over past years. The Custodia calls on the police to carry out a serious and thorough investigation of the event and to avoid hasty conclusions regarding motives and attempting to label the matter as a 'criminal act' alone."

"We received a report that a religious Jewish person was arrested after lighting a fire in the church," Wadie Abu Nassar, spokesperson for the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, said. "We are thankful to God that the damage was limited and that no one was injured."

Abu Nassar called for a serious investigation to be carried out, asking that police emphasize clarifying the attacker's motive. "If the motive is racist... a lot of conclusions should be drawn," Abu Nassar said, adding that "it seems people here are not yet promoting coexistence based on mutual respect for all religions."

Alos condemning the incident, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said that "while the world prepares to mark Christmas, Palestinian youths foiled an attempted terrorist attack by a settler at the Church of All Nations.

"This is not an isolated incident, but rather a result of a racist discourse and incitement against the Palestinians in Jerusalem and Israel bears the full responsibility for this abominable incident," Shtayyeh said.