“Jews Believe That It’s Right To Spit At Servants Of Other Religions”
Samuel Avitar Assures
Azg/am
16 Oct 04
A group of young Jews attacked an Armenian clergyman during a
religious procession in Jerusalem on October 10. One of the Jews spat
at Archbishop Nurhan Manukian leading the procession then slapped him
and threw his mitre on the ground. Archbishop Nurhan hit the rogue
back and as a result a scuffle began.
It’s interesting that the Israeli police guarding the procession
was there while this mean assault took place. Police even detained
archbishop saying that he hit the attackers back. The fact rose
Jerusalem’s Armenian community’s indignation.
Palestinian Wafa news agency immediately responded to the assault
(more details in Azg Daily October 13 issue). The Israeli Haaretz
touched open the issue on October 12 and Istanbul’s Nor Marmara
Armenian newspaper on October 13.
The Haaretz notes that not only the youth but also older Jews spit at
Christians and that Greeks and Armenians alike put up with this fact.
Hence, those rogues, young and old, aim not at Armenians but all
Christians. But still the attitude towards Armenians is unique. Daniel
Rasing, head of the Center of Christians’ and Jews’ Reconciliation,
says in the Haaretz that Armenian clergymen do not dare to look out of
their homes during days of Jewish Purim. Samuel Avitar, ex-counselor
of Jerusalem’s mayor on Christian affairs, defined this attack as a
“disgrace” and added: “I try to do something but all in vain as Jews
are sure that clergy is created to be spat at”.
Though archbishop Nurhan informs Nor Marmara saying that “Armenian
clergy of Jerusalem are accustomed to such an attitude and try to
ignore it, they cannot ignore this last incident”. In this case the
only alternative is to leave the Holy City.
Having this perspective in their minds, Jews go even further. This was
not the first time Armenians were attacked. Still in January archbishop
Torgom Manukian, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, complained deputy
interior minister of Israel Abraham Porazi that “the Jews rail and
spit at Armenians when they walk down the streets”. Porazi tried to
find out “why government doesn’t take measures to hold extremist Jews
back from abasing the Armenian patriarch and Armenians?” “We don’t
have enough means to guard every priest”.
Haaretz covered this issue on January 13. Jerusalem’s
Patriarchate again turned to the minister of interior in April but
vainly. Apparently the minister had no means to provide the police
with, as the attacks still occur. We can understand that the ministry
may falls short of means but what should we think about the policemen
guarding the procession of October 10? What was their mission if not
securing the clergy?
There may be only answer: police backs those attacks on the Armenian
Patriarchate, Armenian clergy and community in order to win interior
minister’s approval. We may conclude that those rascals are encouraged
by the state and that the attacks are organized on a state level.
What can we expect of a state citizens of which think that it’s right
to spit at servants of other religions?
By Hakob Chakrian