Jerusalem’s Greek Orthodox patriarchate denounced in a statement on Monday transgressions by Israeli Jewish extremists on its property, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
On the morning of Monday, June 6, at around 10:30 local time, Israeli Jewish extremists trespassed into the Greek Garden on Mt Zion in Jerusalem, property of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
The groundskeeper, very shaken by the latest in a string of vandalism and trespassing at the site, said "He wanted to burn my eyes, but I wouldn’t let him. They said 'watch your back, we are going to find you and kill you – it’s our land, it’s not your land.' "#jerusalem pic.twitter.com/bQJf0W6eDd
— Protecting Holy Land Christians (@ProtectingHLC) June 6, 2022
The Patriarchate made a decision to lock the gates to their private property ahead of Shavuot, when Jewish extremists have historically trespassed, camped on the grounds, and trashed the site, the statement read.
The trespassers broke locks and entered the property, claiming that it belonged to King David. When peacefully confronted by the church keeper, they acted aggressively, threatening him by saying that they would ‘burn his eyes’ and that they would find and kill him.
Pentecost is widely regarded as the birthday of the Christian church, and the start of the church's mission to spread the word of God around the world. The #HolySpirit is the third part of the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the way that Christians understand God.
— Protecting Holy Land Christians (@ProtectingHLC) June 6, 2022
Jewish extremists also broke through the fencing protecting the chapel on the site, which will be used this week to celebrate Pentecost.
The Greek Orthodox Chapel on the site is used for Pentecost and is often vandalized. Israeli Jewish extremists frequently pour paint into the chapel, urinate into the catacombs, and destroy landscaping, WAFA reported.
(WAFA, PC, Social Media)
