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Israeli Forces Raid Christian Celebration in Occupied West Bank
(MENAFN) Israeli army forces assaulted Palestinian worshippers during a Christian religious celebration Tuesday evening west of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, according to multiple Palestinian sources.
A Palestinian news agency reported that Israeli troops moved against participants marking St. George's Day in the historic old town of al-Khader, deploying tear gas and stun grenades against the crowd.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said its emergency crews transported one wounded individual to hospital after he was beaten inside the Monastery of St. George.
Local activist Ahmad Salah told media that hundreds of people had gathered for the celebration, known locally as "Eid al-Khader" (the Feast of St. George). He noted the event draws residents from both Muslim and Christian communities and serves as a significant cultural and tourism occasion for the region.
Each year on May 5–6, churches observing the Eastern calendar across Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, and Beit Jala mark the feast of St. George with prayers and religious services, while Muslim residents also take part through attendance, festivities, and trade. According to the news agency, tradition dictates that participants walk barefoot from their homes in Bethlehem to the monastery to begin the rituals.
The Monastery of St. George is an institution of the Greek Orthodox Church, originally constructed in 1600 and later rebuilt in 1912. In Christian tradition, St. George is believed to have slain a dragon before settling in the village that now carries his name, having departed from his hometown of Lod, located in what is today central Israel.
Tuesday's assault is the latest in a pattern of incidents involving Israeli attacks on Christian symbols and clergy that has drawn mounting condemnation from Christian communities globally. Among the more recent cases, an Israeli soldier was documented destroying a statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon. Israeli police also prevented Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa from accessing the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in East Jerusalem during April holidays, while restrictions were simultaneously imposed on Christian participation in Easter celebrations.
Separately, multiple incidents of Israeli settlers spitting on churches and clergy in Jerusalem have been documented, alongside attacks on churches in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict there that erupted in October 2023. Attacks targeting religious sites across Jerusalem and the West Bank have similarly been recorded in recent years.
Churches across the globe have voiced criticism of Israel's military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
A Palestinian news agency reported that Israeli troops moved against participants marking St. George's Day in the historic old town of al-Khader, deploying tear gas and stun grenades against the crowd.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said its emergency crews transported one wounded individual to hospital after he was beaten inside the Monastery of St. George.
Local activist Ahmad Salah told media that hundreds of people had gathered for the celebration, known locally as "Eid al-Khader" (the Feast of St. George). He noted the event draws residents from both Muslim and Christian communities and serves as a significant cultural and tourism occasion for the region.
Each year on May 5–6, churches observing the Eastern calendar across Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, and Beit Jala mark the feast of St. George with prayers and religious services, while Muslim residents also take part through attendance, festivities, and trade. According to the news agency, tradition dictates that participants walk barefoot from their homes in Bethlehem to the monastery to begin the rituals.
The Monastery of St. George is an institution of the Greek Orthodox Church, originally constructed in 1600 and later rebuilt in 1912. In Christian tradition, St. George is believed to have slain a dragon before settling in the village that now carries his name, having departed from his hometown of Lod, located in what is today central Israel.
Tuesday's assault is the latest in a pattern of incidents involving Israeli attacks on Christian symbols and clergy that has drawn mounting condemnation from Christian communities globally. Among the more recent cases, an Israeli soldier was documented destroying a statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon. Israeli police also prevented Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa from accessing the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in East Jerusalem during April holidays, while restrictions were simultaneously imposed on Christian participation in Easter celebrations.
Separately, multiple incidents of Israeli settlers spitting on churches and clergy in Jerusalem have been documented, alongside attacks on churches in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict there that erupted in October 2023. Attacks targeting religious sites across Jerusalem and the West Bank have similarly been recorded in recent years.
Churches across the globe have voiced criticism of Israel's military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
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