Palestine appeals for US action following settler attack on Jerusalem church – Middle East Monitor
On Sunday, Palestine appealed for US and international action to stop Israeli settler attacks against holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem, Anadolu reports.
Two Israeli settlers on Sunday broke into the Church of Gethsemane in Jerusalem and tried to sabotage the contents inside, but were confronted by a Palestinian man who was present at the church, according to the Jerusalem Governorate.
In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the settlers’ attack on the church.
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“The repetition of these attacks is part of Israel’s official targeting of Jerusalem and its Christian and Islamic holy sites,” the statement said.
“These attacks are part of Israeli Judaism on Jerusalem and they try to impose Israeli sovereignty [on Jerusalem] and to separate the city from its Palestinian surroundings,” he said.
The ministry called on the United Nations to activate international protection for the Palestinians amid ongoing Israeli attacks.
Tensions have been high across the West Bank in recent months amid repeated Israeli raids on Palestinian towns.
Nearly 90 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the beginning of this year, according to Palestinian figures. Fourteen Israelis were killed in separate attacks during the same period.
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