Israeli police detaining a Coptic religious man outside the Holy Sepulcher Church in Jerusalem. (WAFA Images / Afif Amireh)  

CAIRO, Wednesday, October 24, 2018 (WAFA) – Egypt condemned on Wednesday Israeli police assault against Coptic clergymen outside the Holy Sepulcher Church in Jerusalem’s Old City calling on Israel to respect the holy places in the city.

Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Hafiz said in a statement that Egypt, base of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, is absolutely against assaulting religious men, stressing that the Foreign Ministry is following developments regarding the assault through its embassy in Tel Aviv and the church in Jerusalem.

Israeli police assaulted Coptic clergy who were protesting Israeli interference in renovation work at Deir al-Sultan, a Coptic church in the Holy Sepulcher compound, and arrested one of them, who was later released.

The Coptic church said it is the only party responsible for the renovation in its church and Israel has no right to interfere in this work.

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Secretary General Saeb Erekat has condemned the assault and Israeli interference in church affairs, describing it as a “blatant violation” and “clearly shows the world the real status of Christianity under the Israeli occupation.”

M.K.