Taipei Times, Taiwan
Oct 18 2004
Jerusalem’s Christian’s decry attacks by Jews
RELIGIOUS DISPUTE: Christians say they are being harassed by a few
fanatical Jews — and that the problem is being ignored by religious
leaders
THE OBSERVER , LONDON
Monday, Oct 18, 2004,Page 6
“The problem is the very religious. It’s a question of education.
What must these people be learning to behave like this?”
Bishop Aris Shirvanian of the Armenian church
Jerusalem’s Christian community has demanded that Jewish leaders and
the Israeli government take action against what they claim is growing
harassment of their clergy by religious Jews.
Christians say ultra-Orthodox Jewish students spit at them or at the
ground when they pass. There have also been acts of vandalism against
statues of the Virgin Mary.
The harassment came to a head last week when a Jewish student spat at
Armenian Archbishop Nourhan Manougian and ripped off his crucifix,
whereupon the archbishop slapped him. The police questioned both men.
Mainstream Israeli opinion has been revolted by the revelations of
the abuse of Christian clergy. Avraham Poraz, the interior minister,
condemned the trend of spitting at the cross and those wearing it,
saying it was “intolerable” and that he was “revolted” by it. A
former chief rabbi also voiced his outrage.
All the Christian groups complain of harassment, but the Armenians
bear the brunt. Armenian clergymen said that, when they complained to
the interior minister seven months ago, he told them: “Most Jews have
a big problem with them as well.”
The 3,000-strong community live in the Armenian quarter and many Jews
walk through it on their way from west Jerusalem to the Wailing Wall
or Western Wall.
Father Pakrad Bourjekian, a spokesman for the Armenian church, said
the attack was an extreme example of the harassment they receive
every day. “Every day the fanatical Jews turn their face to the wall
or spit on the ground or at us when they see the crucifix,” he said.
The Christians admit that it is only a minority who carry out the
abuse, but they feel that the issue is being ignored by religious
leaders.
Bishop Aris Shirvanian of the Armenian church said: “The majority are
courteous or indifferent. The problem is the very religious. It’s a
question of education. What must these people be learning to behave
like this?”
The old city of Jerusalem is buzzing with rumors that young Armenians
will take revenge for the attack and the daily indignities suffered
by their priests.
Aris acknowledged that there was a danger of reprisals. “We are
trying to control our young people and we are succeeding. But the
question is that there is no one in the Jewish community trying to
control their fanatics,” he said.
Jerusalem has always been a city of conflict. Even the old Christian
churches — the Armenian, Orthodox, Coptic, Syrian, Ethiopian and
Catholic — are known for their disputes, which regularly result in
brawls.