Israeli police have arrested a 36-year-old man suspected of attacking a nun near Jerusalem's Old City, in what authorities described as a racially motivated assault. The incident occurred on Wednesday near David's Tomb, a holy site outside Zion's Gate on the southern side of the Old City. The suspect, whose name has not been released, remains in custody.
Police video footage shows the nun with visible bruises, while the attacker is seen wearing tzitzit, a fringed undergarment worn by some observant Jewish men. Olivier Poquillon, director of the French School of Biblical and Archaeological Research, identified the victim as a researcher at the school and called the attack an 'act of sectarian violence' in a post on X.
The Old City, located in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, is a centuries-old walled enclave housing holy sites for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. It has long been a flashpoint for tensions, with access and ownership of sites deeply entangled in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Religious groups have reported a rise in harassment and violence against Christian pilgrims and clergy, often by ultra-Orthodox Jewish yeshiva students.
Wadie Abunassar, coordinator of the Holy Land Christian Forum, described attacks targeting Christians as a growing phenomenon. He expressed frustration with the legal system, noting that many such incidents result in no arrests or mild charges. 'I feel great anger at the system and great sadness because I feel this will not end anytime soon,' he said.
The arrest comes amid increased scrutiny of Israel's treatment of religious minorities, following recent restrictions on Muslim and Christian worship during holidays. Israel also faced international criticism after a soldier photographed himself bludgeoning a statue of Jesus with an ax in southern Lebanon, an incident later disavowed by Israeli leaders.
