Latin Patriarchate condemns ‘barbaric hate crime’ against Catholic nun in Jerusalem

(LifeSiteNews) — The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has decried an Israeli man’s attack on a religious sister in Jerusalem as “barbaric.”

“This is a repulsive and barbaric hate crime committed against a defenseless nun. It is the duty of the authorities to bring the perpetrator to justice and to ensure that clear and effective measures of deterrence are put in place so that such acts are neither tolerated nor repeated,”  Farid Jubran, Public and Governmental Affairs Advisor at the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, told Crux Now.

SHOCKING: Footage shows BRUTAL ATTACK on a Catholic nun in Jerusalem by a 36-year-old Israeli man. pic.twitter.com/gnZhRvtcta

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A 36-year-old man was recently arrested by Israeli police after it was reported that a religious sister was attacked near King David’s tomb in Jerusalem on Tuesday. Newly released video footage shows a man pushing a Catholic religious sister to the ground, briefly walking away and then going back to kick her.

The head of a Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, Archbishop Atallah Hanna, has also reportedly condemned the attack and has called for an international response to stop the increasing hostilities against Christians in the Holy Land.

He said on Facebook that “the attack on a nun in the city of Jerusalem comes amid escalating violations against Christian institutions in the city,” according to Al Jazeera.

“This reflects increasing concerns about the future of the historic Christian presence in the Holy Land,” he added.

According to AP News, a police video shows the attacker was wearing tzitzit, a tasseled undergarment worn by some observant Jewish men, which is meant to serve as a reminder of God’s commandments.

The unprovoked attack was carried out by an Israeli colonizer, according to the al‑Baidar Human Rights Organization.

Last year in Jerusalem alone, 155 to 181 incidents of assault, harassment, and vandalism targeted at Christians were recorded, according to the Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue and the Religious Freedom Data Center (RFDC).