Vandals have defaced a church in Jerusalem just a few weeks before Pope Francis visits the Holy Land. Israel Police Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said anti-Christian graffiti had been discovered on the outside wall of the church on Friday morning.
The graffiti read "Price tag, King David is for the Jews, Jesus is garbage." In addition, a "Death to Arabs" graffiti was spotted on the door of a home and on an electrical box in the Old City of Jerusalem. Rosenfeld said police were investigating.
This was the latest in a series of attacks believed to be the work of a small group of Jewish extremists who protest what they perceive as the Israeli government's pro-Palestinian policies. The acts have been condemned by Israeli leaders across the political spectrum.
Pope Francis is due to visit Israel, Jordan, the West Bank and Jerusalem, where he will meet Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians. The Vatican has urged Israel to safeguard Christian holy sites. Israel's internal security agency ears there could be similar attacks as the pope's visit approaches at the end of the month.
Earlier this week, Israeli archaeologist Eli Shukron claimed to find the legendary citadel captured by King David in his conquest of Jerusalem, rekindling a longstanding debate about using the Bible as a field guide to identifying ancient ruins
In another hate crime attack Monday, "Death to Arabs and Christians and all those who hate Israel" was daubed in Hebrew on an outer column of the Office of the Assembly of Bishops at the Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem.
