️ Last week's unprovoked attack on a French nun in occupied East Jerusalem is the latest in a rising number of incidents of abuse and intimidation against Christians in Israel and East Jerusalem, according to community leaders and analysts. The roughly 180,000 Christians in Israel and 10,000 in East Jerusalem say violence has increased in tandem with the country's shift toward far-right nationalism.

️ The Religious Freedom Data Center recorded 31 incidents of harassment in the first quarter of 2024, mostly spitting and vandalism. The Rossing Center tracked 113 attacks last year, including 61 physical assaults on clergy. Hana Bendcowsky of the Jerusalem Center for Jewish-Christian Relations noted: "Resentment toward Christianity existed in the past, but people did not dare express it openly."

️ Israeli officials condemned the nun's attack as "despicable," and a suspect was arrested. However, trust in the police is minimal, with many incidents unreported. Bendcowsky added: "Unless an incident gains international attention, particularly in the US, it often goes uninvestigated."

️ Analysts link the trend to Israel's ultranationalist policies under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Far-right voices now hold key government roles. A survey found ultra-Orthodox and ultranationalist Israelis responsible for most attacks. Rabbi Arik Ascherman stated: "The hate and attempt to harass non-Jews by settler elements knows no bounds."

️ The attacks are eroding support for Israel among US evangelicals. Shaiel Ben-Ephraim of Atlas Global Strategies warned: "Older evangelicals may be forgiving, but the young are already turning against Israel. This will shape an entire generation of religious Christians in a way Israel does not even begin to imagine."

Source: www.aljazeera.com