JEWISH EXTREMISTS ATTACK ARMENIAN SEMINARIANS OF JERUSALEM
13:35, 8 April, 2015
YEREVAN, 8 APRIL, ARMENPRESS: A group of students from the Armenian
seminary were walking to the Armenian convent when a group of extremist
Jewish youngsters harassed them. Armenpress reports, citing The Times
of Israel that an Armenian writer and musician, living in Jerusalem
Apo Sahagian informs about it in the blog of the periodical.
He states as follows: “The police did not want to listen to that,
they didn’t want to hear the fact that in the state of Israel it’s not
always us, the goyim, that are the provocateurs. Most of the time,
in the Old City of Jerusalem, it is the Jews. At least 20 police
officers illegally entered the seminary to apprehend two students
whom they accused of giving a black eye to one of their attackers.
These incidents are all too common for those of us who live within
the ancient walls of Jerusalem. A year back I was chatting with an
Armenian priest when suddenly, out of nowhere, he was spat on by a
passing Jewish teen. Once I realized what had happened, I wanted to
shove that kid against the wall and remind him of his own people’s
history but the priest went on and on about turning the other cheek. I
decided to heed his word and be a “good Christian” for that night.
No matter how many times our community and Patriarchate have complained
about these harassments, the authorities have been determinedly
indifferent. Rather, their response has always been to arrest an
Armenian seminary student. The police might never bring this to your
attention but not a single such attack has occurred with a Muslim. Why
does it happen with Jewish youngsters who walk around the Old City
believing it is their inherent right to harass those who differ from
their preferred demographic?
The indifference by the police will eventually lead to far worse
incidents. I had a preview of that a few years back when we discovered
graffiti on of the walls of the Armenian Quarter that read “Death to
Arabs and Armenians.” The incident went unreported as the graffiti
was quickly washed off. But the authorities continue to act as if
such sentiments don’t exist among young Jewish extremists; for them,
in the land of the Jews, everyone else is suspect.
Unfortunately, these extremist tendencies are worrying a small
community that has never bothered the state. Throughout the decades
of conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians, the Armenians of
Jerusalem have kept a low profile in their quiet quarter. But don’t
mistake us for pushovers. If there is anything we Armenians and Jews
share it is tragic histories that have taught us that you cannot
always rely on others to defend you and you cannot always turn the
other cheek. The application of fair rule and law is a must for a
community that has simply given up on changing the apathetic attitude
of the authorities. It has reached the point where I overheard someone
say to one of the seminary students: “Take the beating. If you react,
they will arrest you. You are not Jewish”.
It’s no exaggeration that Israel loves to boast about its ‘growing
Christian communities’ in a Middle East that has been increasingly
hostile to Christian communal life. But sooner or later, Israel has
to admit that in achieving a state in the Middle East, it has also
acquired the ills of the Middle East. Occasional consideration to
this menace may go a long way in containing the damage”.