Arab citizens of Israel: ‘Occupation is responsible for attempts to burn Gethsemane Church in Jerusalem’

Christian and Islamic sanctities are one of the founding symbols of the Palestinian Arab national identity, Joint List member Sami Abu Shehadeh said during a visit to the Gethsemane Church in the Mount of Olives in occupied Jerusalem yesterday, days after settlers attempted to set fire to the holy site.

Speaking to Father Ibrahim Faltas, pastor of the, Custodian of the Holy Land and president of the John Paul II Foundation in the Middle East, Abu Shehadeh said: “Christian and Islamic sanctities are one of the founding symbols of our national identity, and as a Palestinian and Arab people we will defend the dignity of our sanctities with all our strength and protect it from any harm.”

“Jerusalem is Israel main target because it holds meanings of sanctity and symbolism to all Arabs with the plurality of their religions, and thus we and our people in Jerusalem have no other option but to stand firm and adhere to our common right in this city, our national, religious and cultural capital.”

During the meeting, MP Abu Shehadeh praised the role of Jerusalem’s youth in resisting all Judaisation attempts by the Zionist settlers. Last Friday, Mahmoud and Hamza Ajaj thwarted a settler’s attempt to burn church.

The High Follow-up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel held the Israeli occupation responsible for the attack. The terrorist, the committee said, was only able to go to the church with the intention of setting it ablaze, because he knew Israeli authorities had turned a blind eye to similar attacks in the past.

The Committee called on the international community to put pressure on the occupation to refrain from supporting settlers’ terrorist gangs and their crimes against the Palestinian people, their sanctities and properties.

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