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🇮🇱 Israel /Conflict & Security

State Indicts Man for Attacking Nun in Jerusalem’s Old City

From Jerusalem Post · (5m ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A 36-year-old man, Yonah Shreiber, has been indicted for assaulting a nun in Jerusalem's Old City.
  • The indictment states Shreiber attacked the nun because she was visibly dressed in religious attire, pushing her to the ground and kicking her.
  • The incident occurred near King David's Tomb and follows several recent attacks targeting Christian symbols and figures in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem, a city sacred to three major faiths, has recently seen a disturbing rise in religiously motivated hostility, culminating in the indictment of Yonah Shreiber for a brutal assault on a nun in the Old City. The State Attorney's Office has charged Shreiber with assault causing actual bodily harm, motivated by religious animosity, after he violently attacked the nun simply for visibly expressing her faith.

decided to attack the nun only after seeing that she was visibly dressed in clothing reflecting her faith.

— The indictmentDetailing the alleged motive behind Yonah Shreiber's attack on the nun.

The indictment details a shocking act of aggression: Shreiber ran at the nun, forcefully pushed her to the ground, and then kicked her. When a bystander attempted to intervene, Shreiber allegedly turned his violence upon them as well. The nun sustained significant injuries, including facial bruising and bruises to her legs, a stark reminder of the vulnerability of those who openly practice their faith in public spaces.

running toward the nun and forcefully pushing her to the ground.

— The indictment, as well as video footage from the sceneDescribing the physical act of the assault.

This incident is not isolated. It follows a pattern of recent attacks targeting Christian symbols and figures. We have seen IDF soldiers desecrating religious imagery, including smashing a statue of Jesus Christ and mockingly posing with a statue of the Virgin Mary. Furthermore, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, was recently stopped by police from reaching a church service. Such acts create an atmosphere of intimidation and fear, undermining the delicate interfaith fabric of our city.

he kicked her, according to the indictment.

— The indictmentFurther detailing the violence inflicted upon the nun.

As residents of Jerusalem, we are deeply concerned by these escalating acts of religiously motivated violence. While the indictment of Shreiber is a necessary step toward justice, it is crucial that authorities address the broader trend of hostility and ensure the safety and freedom of religious expression for all communities. The Old City, a place of pilgrimage and coexistence, must not become a battleground for intolerance.

When a passerby tried to intervene, Shreiber allegedly punched and kicked him as well.

— The indictmentDescribing Shreiber's actions towards a bystander.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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