Jerusalem’s Armenians seek protection from Jewish harassment
Palestine-info, United Kingdom
Oct 13 2004
Occupied Jerusalem – The small Armenian community in Jerusalem has
urged the Israeli occupation authorities to crack down on Jewish
extremists who have been harassing Christian clergymen, especially
in the old town, where the bulk of the Armenians live.
Earlier this week, a yeshiva student spat at the cross being carried
by the Armenian Archbishop Nourhan Manougian during a procession near
the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City.
The archbishop’s 17th-century cross was reportedly broken during the
brawl and he slapped the yeshiva student.
Christian sources in Jerusalem have reported several other cases where
Yeshiva students spat at and harassed Christian leaders especially
during Jewish holidays.
According to Albert Aghazaryan, one of the prominent leaders of the
Palestinian Armenian community, the act of spitting on Christian
symbols is “deep rooted in the Jewish religious doctrine.”
“Hostility to Christianity is intrinsic in religious Jewish thinking,”
Aghazaryan told PIC.
Manougian denounced the “shocking silence” of the Israeli religious
establishment toward “these unacceptable acts.”
“When there is an attack against Jews anywhere in the world, the
Israeli government is incensed, so why when our religion and pride
are hurt, don’t they take harsher measures?” he was quoted as asking.
A few weeks ago, a similar incident took place when another religious
Jew, reportedly an old man wearing a skullcap, spat at a Christian
Orthodox leader as he opened the window of his car.
A few years ago, Jewish religious students burned down a Jerusalem
flat in which two Christian college students were living.The two
students fled unharmed.
According to the famous Jewish author and philosopher Yisrael Shahak,
much of the Jewish Orthodox hostility to Christianity originate
in theology.
In his book “Jewish History, Jewish Religion: The Weight of Three
Thousand Years,” Shahak pointed out that “it became customary to spit
(usually three times) upon seeing a church or a crucifix.”
On page 98, Shahak points out that Christianity as a religion is
classed by Rabbinic teaching as idolatry.
“All the Christian emblems and pictorial representations are regarded
as idols…even by those Jews who literally worship scrolls, stones
or personal belongings of ‘Holy Men.’ ”
According to Shahak, some Orthodox Jews are enjoined to recite the
following curse upon hearing the name Jesus: ” May his name be damned
and his memory be erased.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress