Israel slammed for releasing settlers following arson attack on church

Islamic-Christian Committee for Protecting Jerusalem and Holy Sites condemned an Israeli court’s decision to withdraw indictments against two extremist Jewish citizens of torching churches in 2015 and 2016, Assabeel reported yesterday.

The Committee said that the decision is deemed “clear and official encouragement of attacking holy sites and Christian worship houses across the Palestinian territories.”

In addition, the Committee called for stopping the continuous attacks carried out by extremist Jewish settlers, on places of worship and stressed the need to respect all religions.

One of the suspects, Yinon Reuveni, a 23-year-old resident of the illegal West Bank outpost of Baladim, was convicted of the June 2015 arson of the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes at Taghba, on the Sea of Galilee.

Reuveni’s suspected accomplice was a minor when the arson was committed. He was arrested, but not indicted.

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