FRANCE 24
Dec 12 2012
Jerusalem sites sprayed with anti-Christian graffiti
AFP – Vandals sprayed anti-Christian graffiti on a monastery and a
Christian cemetery in Jerusalem overnight, in two apparent “price-tag”
attacks, police told AFP on Wednesday.
“Overnight, graffiti was sprayed on the gates of the entrance of the
Armenian cemetery reading ‘Jesus is a son of a bitch’ in Hebrew, and
on a monastery belonging to the Greek Orthodox saying the same thing,”
police spokeswoman Luba Samri said.
Samri said the attackers also wrote “Happy Hannukah” and “price tag”
at the second site, the Valley of the Cross monastery, and slashed the
tyres of nearby cars.
“Price tag” is a euphemism for revenge hate crimes by Israeli
extremists, which normally target Palestinians and Arabs.
Initially carried out in retaliation for state moves to dismantle
unauthorised settler outposts, they have become increasingly unrelated
to any specific government measures.
The attacks tend to involve the vandalism or destruction of
Palestinian property and have included multiple arson attacks on cars,
mosques and olive trees.
Perpetrators are rarely caught.
At first, the attacks were predominantly in the West Bank, but they
have expanded over time to include sites inside Israel, and in
Jerusalem. In recent months, Christian sites have been targeted as
well.
Samri said a third apparent “price tag” attack had been reported in a
West Bank village called Shukba, near the city of Ramallah, in which
attackers set fire to a car and sprayed “price tag” and “happy
holidays” nearby.
Police were investigating all three attacks, she said.