As Attacks on Christians Rise in Israel, Netanyahu’s Snub of Francis Is a Dangerous Step
At a session of the Israeli Knesset’s Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs Committee on Monday (May 5), Aida Touma-Sliman, a Christian legislator from northern Israel, sounded the alarm about a disturbing pattern of harassment of Christians in the country. During Holy Week, many Christians from the West Bank were denied entry into Jerusalem, and on Holy Saturday, the eve of Easter, Israeli police prevented worshippers from reaching churches.
The disruptions were a continuation of a sharp increase in attacks against Christians documented in a March 2025 report by the Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue that showed rising incidents of violence: clergy spat on, church property vandalized, crosses desecrated and pilgrims harassed. In many cases, police were slow to respond — if they responded at all.
“If this country respects all religions,” Touma-Sliman said, “what is happening against Christian clergy should have caused a huge uproar and upended the country.”
Touma-Sliman also condemned the Israeli government’s glaring failure to recognize the death of Pope Francis. The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a lower-level aide to Francis’ funeral, along with the Israeli ambassador to the Holy See, while the leaders of some 130 other nations attended. The excuse given — that the funeral fell on the Jewish Sabbath — rang hollow, especially in light of the Israeli ambassador’s presence at the service.
The Israeli government sent only a bland, formal message of condolences on the day of Francis’ death, and even a perfunctory tweet from the Foreign Ministry was quickly deleted under pressure from far-right coalition members. (Read more from “As Attacks on Christians Rise in Israel, Netanyahu’s Snub of Francis Is a Dangerous Step” HERE)
