Pope's visit to the Holy Land stirs sectarian tensions

As the Holy Land prepares to welcome Pope Francis on Sunday, growing concerns over the rising anti-Christian attacks are darkening the occasion for Israel’s Christian community.

On March 9th, church officials of a Romanian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem discovered “Price tag, King David is for the Jews, Jesus is garbage,” written on nearby walls, while “Death to Arabs and Christians and all those who hate Israel” was daubed in Hebrew on the Office of the Assembly of Bishops at the Notre Dame Center, Jerusalem.

A few days later hundreds of ultra-orthodox Jews calling for the Pope to “stay in Rome” descended on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, protesting against the Pope’s plans to hold mass at a nearby contentious religious site during his visit- the first floor of which is believed by Jews to house the tomb of King David, while the second floor is held sacred by Christians as the site of the Last Supper. His visit is fuelling fears that an agreement will be made giving the Vatican control over the second floor.

“The wave of fanaticism and intimidation against Christians continues,” the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem posted on its website, referring to the recent attacks as “price tag” incidents. According to the Jerusalem Inter- Church Center similar attacks against Christian organisations, churches and properties across Palestine and Israel have almost doubled since 2012.

Non Jewish sites such as mosques, churches, Christian and Muslim graveyards, as well as Palestinian property and land in both in the occupied territories and Israel are routinely targeted, damaged and defaced, often bearing the hallmark of “price tag.” “Price tag” refers to vandalism and other hate crimes carried out by right wing Jewish extremists usually in retaliation for government policies against the settler movement.

Father Jamal Khader, head of the Latin Patriarch seminary and spokesperson for the Pope’s visit to the Palestinian Territories, said, “During our procession from the Holy Sepulchre over the Easter celebrations we were spat on and cursed by religious Jews. I asked my colleague what one particular man was shouting at us, he was saying- ‘we fled from your persecution in Europe and you are following us here.”

“These people are spreading hate and they are attacking places, but soon they will be attacking people,” he said.

“Price Tag” attacks have been called acts of terror by Israeli Major General Nizan Alon and likened by Israeli Justice Minister, Tzipi Livni, to hate crimes. Meanwhile their perpetrators, which Israel’s Minister of Defence, Ehud Barak, has said are acting “like a terror organization” are rarely prosecuted.

“They know who they are, they don’t take any measures. To be protected by politicians, by members of the Knesset, that’s even more dangerous,” Vatican representative Khader said. “It is a political game, playing with future of coexistence.”

The Christian community of Israel are feeling pressure from many angles. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to pass a Basic Law that would “legally anchor Israel’s” status as the “nation-state of the Jewish people,” political decisions have been made attempting to assimilate Israel’s Arab Christian population into the state structures.

This includes a new law that has been passed in the Israeli Knesset, the ultimate aim of which, according to its sponsor, is to distinguish between Muslim and Christian Arab citizens and to heighten involvement of Christians in Israeli society. Israel has also announced that Palestinian Christian citizens of Israel will be for the first time sent army call papers- previously they were exempt from military service as the Palestinian citizens of Israel of Muslim origin are.

“To somehow put this schism between the Arab community is a very serious and dangerous one,” said, Mr. Sami El-Yousef of the Papal Agency for Middle East relief and development.

As the Pope’s visit dawns, the anti-Christian attacks are not the only thing the Christian community of Israel are concerned about. There is a growing worry that it will be further marred by Israel’s tight security.

“My worry and our concern is that we, residents of the old city, will not be allowed to see the pope, let alone the Palestinian Christians in the West Bank having permits or not having permits,” said El-Yousef. “We are promised curfew status basically, the roads the Pope goes through will be empty, the streets full of Israeli security.”

While the Pope stated on Wednesday that his coming trip will be purely devotional, most of the Palestinian Christian population of both Israel and the occupied territories are hoping his visit will highlight not only their plight, but that of all Palestinians, from those facing occupation in the West Bank to the Palestinian citizens of Israel facing discrimination.

“It is impossible for any leader in a sense to come to the holy land and avoid the politics,” said El- Yousef.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.