JERUSALEM, Friday, February 5, 2021 (WAFA) – The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III today condemned the attack committed by an Israeli extremist against the Romanian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem about three days ago.

A statement issued today by the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem expressed the condemnation and warned that “Israeli extremists’ attacks against churches and mosques in Jerusalem are alarmingly on the rise, and the failure of Israeli official authorities to deal with them and their tolerance towards such terrorist acts will definitely lead to more fueling of the conflict in the Holy City, and will keep it further away from achieving peace and stability.”

Theophilos III, the statement added, “called upon the international community to intervene by opening a dialogue with the Israeli government aiming at putting a stop to these terrorist attacks, and ending the continuous attempts of extremist Israeli groups to change the mosaic character of the city of Jerusalem by force through intimidating Christian and Muslim worshipers, attacking clerics, writing hate graffiti on walls and doors of churches and mosques, and also their hideous attempts to control church properties as evident by the attempts of Israeli radical groups to take over Orthodox Church properties in Jerusalem’s Jaffa Gate, specifically the Imperial Hotel, Petra Hotel and other real estate, using twisted methods and through corrupt deals filled with bribery, extortion and illegitimate pressure.”

The Orthodox primate stressed that the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and congregation stand by the Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate and “fully support them in facing this terrorist act that reflects the extent of the Israeli extremists’ hatred for the Christian religion in general, and the Orthodox Church in particular.”

K.F.