Christians Violently Attacked Near Bethlehem

Christians Violently 

Attacked Near Bethlehem

Wednesday, May 14, 2014 |  Ryan Jones  ISRAEL TODAY

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Christians

The Feast of Saint George, a pretty important holiday for Palestinian Christians, recently ended, but it didn’t end well for those celebrating at the festival’s focal point, the Monastery of Saint George near Bethlehem.

Saint George’s Monastery is located in the village of al-Khadar, which is the name used for Saint George in Arab culture. Every year, Palestinian Christians, and even some Muslims, gather at the monastery, as well as at other locations throughout the region, to commemorate George’s martyrdom and dedication to his faith.

During this year’s festival, which occurred on May 6, the Christians gathered at Saint George’s were beset by Muslim provocateurs and assailants.

Lela Gilbert, author of Saturday People, Sunday People, Israel through the Eyes of a Christian Sojourner, provided an initial report to CAMERA:

“Some local Muslims either tried to park a car too close the church and/or tried to enter the church during a service honoring St. George - the initial instigation isn’t clear. But when the intruders were asked to leave, one of them stabbed a Christian man who was outside the church serving as a guard. He was hospitalized. Several then started throwing stones at the church. 7 or 8 Christians were injured and some physical damage was done - broken windows etc. The police didn’t show up for an hour.”

One of the victims managed to record a portion of the attack on his cellphone and uploaded the footage to YouTube, where it has since been seen by over 20,000 people. And still, media coverage of the attack has been sorely lacking. Perhaps everyone is too busy furiously criticizing Israel over a few youth scrawling graffiti.

The Christians in the video, including crying children, can be seen cowering in fear as they are besieged by Muslim hooligans whom the authorities did very little, if anything, to stop.

This is from the same Bethlehem where Christ at the Checkpoint organizers say Christians and Muslims live in harmony; this is from the same “Palestine” the international community labels as “moderate” in its justification for establishing yet another Arab state; and this is happening, right next door, as everyone ignores realities and accuses Israel of abusing minorities, of being an “apartheid state.”

Watch the video:

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