Two men dressed as Orthodox Jews are listed as the only suspects in vandalizing graves at the Christian cemetery on Mount Zion, symbolic of both religions.
Dozens of graves in a Protestant cemetery in Jerusalem were desecrated, the local religious authorities reported this Wednesday, expressing their “dismay.”
At the Protestant Cemetery in the Mount Zionwhere Christians believe that the Last Supper of Jesusthe tombstones lay broken in pieces and the crosses on the ground.
“We discovered that more than 30 tombstones and crosses were broken into pieces”Hosam Naoum, an Anglican bishop, told reporters gathered at the churchyard.
The ecclesiastical authorities indicated that the damage was discovered on Tuesday and that the images of the security cameras of January 1 show two men dressed as orthodox jews destroying the cemetery
“These criminal acts were motivated by religious intolerance and hatred once morest Christians,” the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem said in a statement.
Israeli police said Tuesday that they had launched an investigation.
Standing in front of one of the affected graves, Naoum expressed his regret: “We are not only shocked, but very saddened.”
The bishop stated that the cemetery was established in the mid-19th century and is the final resting place of figures such as clergy, scientists and politicians.
Among them are “people of great importance who contributed to the history of Jerusalem and the life of the population,” he added.
Israel’s foreign minister called for the perpetrators to be prosecuted, writing on his Twitter account that “this immoral act is an affront to religion.”
Mount Zion lies outside the walls of the Old City and has attracted pilgrims for centuries. It is also revered by the Jews, as the place where King David was buried according to the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible).
In December 2021, Church leaders warned that “Christians have become the target of frequent and sustained attacks by radical fringe groups” in Jerusalem and the Holy Land.
The press release criticized the inaction of the security forces and local officials, accusations considered “unfounded” by the Israeli Foreign Ministry.