Zionist settlers storm Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem

Two Israeli military trained settlers stormed the Orthodox Church complex in the Mount Zion area of occupied Jerusalem, laid blankets on the ground and announced that they would remain there.

A video shared on TikTok yesterday morning showed the two settlers sitting on the church grounds as they spread items they brought with them.

When a church official asked them to leave the settlers started shouting insults, obscene and racist slurs towards him, telling him to get out of the grounds, and claiming that Mount Zion belongs to the Khazarica people, adding that every minute the church remains standing is considered looting.

The Orthodox Church has been battling settler associations supported by the Israeli government which claim the land the church is situated on belongs to Jews.

Staff at the church said the settlers were armed and had frightened personnel.

After hearing about the settler invasion, locals gathered outside the church to defend it.

The Israeli authorities and settlers have, in recent years, intensified their attacks against Christian churches and property in occupied Jerusalem in an effort to displace Christians, reduce their numbers and steal their property.

Over the last ten days of June, hundreds of armed extremist Israeli Jewish settlers rampaged through Palestinian towns and villages in the occupied West Bank.

They set fire to Palestinian homes, cars and many other facilities. They killed a Palestinian man and wounded many others.

The irony is that all of those atrocities were backed by Israeli ministers and MK’s, and the settlers were protected by the heavily armed occupation forces.

It is true that the fanatic settlers were not accompanied by the Israeli occupation troops, but the attacks took place in sight of the Israeli occupation army. Normally, when the settlers attack Palestinians and their property, they are allowed to do so.

If they are not confronted, they complete their missions without intervention from the Israeli occupation forces. However, when they are faced with resistance from Palestinians, the Israeli forces step in and save them at the expense of the Palestinian victims.

In such cases, the Zionist forces are ready to open fire and wound or kill Palestinians in order to protect the extremist settlers. They even detain, investigate and sentence Palestinians who are resisting violent attacks on their families, homes and properties.

This way Israel sponsors violent settlers, while the media whitewashes their crimes. Israeli Minister of Finance, Smotrich previously said a whole Palestinian village should be wiped out and the government is helping settlers achieve this across the occupied West Bank.

The Islamic-Christian Committee in Support of Jerusalem and its Sanctuaries yesterday warned that the Israeli occupation is planning to turn the Bab Al-Rahma Prayer Hall into a Jewish synagogue.

Bab Al-Rahma is part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound. It has been subject to repeated Israeli attacks since the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

The committee called on all Palestinians to face off the Israeli attempt to close Bab Al-Rahma Mosque, repair it and resume prayers inside it.

Middle East Monitor / ABC Flash Point News 2023.