Italy Warns of Rising Hostility After Assault on Nun in Jerusalem

(MENAFN) Italy’s foreign minister has expressed concern over what he described as increasing hostility toward Christian communities following an assault on a nun in Jerusalem involving an Israeli extremist, according to reports.

Antonio Tajani said on the social platform X that authorities in Israel must ensure religious freedom and protect the presence of Christian communities in the region.

"It is now evident that a picture of growing hostility toward the Christian community in Israel, in Gaza, in the West Bank, and in southern Lebanon is emerging," Tajani wrote.

The remarks followed reports that a 36-year-old Israeli man was arrested after allegedly assaulting a French nun in East Jerusalem. Israeli police reportedly described the incident as “racially motivated,” according to reports.

Tajani reiterated Italy’s call for the Israeli government to safeguard religious rights and protect Christian institutions across the region.

He also pointed to a broader pattern of concern, noting that there has been an increase in reported incidents involving attacks on religious figures and holy sites in Jerusalem in recent years.

Church leaders in Jerusalem have repeatedly urged Israeli authorities to take stronger action to prevent such incidents.

The statement also comes after a widely circulated video last month showed an Israeli soldier striking a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer, an act Tajani previously condemned as “shameful,” adding that insulting religious symbols reflects weakness rather than strength, according to reports.

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