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Jerusalem's Christian's decry attacks by Jews

"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.
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