Monday, 03 August, 2026
|
In Stepanakert:   +27 °C

Six Israelis detained after being caught on video spitting on Armenian Monastery, throwing stones at Armenian woman

Six Israelis detained after being caught on video spitting on Armenian Monastery, throwing stones at Armenian woman
96
Today, 10:22

Six Jewish Israeli men were detained early Sunday after allegedly targeting the entrance of the Armenian Patriarchate's Saint James Monastery in Jerusalem's Armenian Quarter, in the latest reported attack against the city's historic Armenian community.
The incident occurred at about 1 a.m., according to Jerusalem-based Armenian reporter Kegham Balian, who said the group gathered outside the monastery and repeatedly spat at its entrance.

The confrontation escalated when the men noticed an Armenian woman recording the incident from her nearby home. According to Balian, they began throwing stones at her window while hurling verbal abuse, shouting, "Get back inside, you daughter of a whore!"
Israeli police responded to the scene and detained all six suspects. The Armenian Patriarchate filed a formal complaint following the incident.

Police records show that three of the suspects were issued 15-day restraining orders prohibiting them from entering Jerusalem's Old City while the investigation continues.
The incident comes amid ongoing concerns over repeated acts of harassment and intimidation directed at Jerusalem's Armenian Christian community. Church leaders have repeatedly warned that attacks on clergy, worshippers, and Armenian-owned property have increased in recent years, raising alarm over the safety of one of the world's oldest continuous Christian communities.
Authorities have not released additional details, and the investigation remains ongoing.