Damning report sheds light on Christian tourists’ abuse, harassment in occupied al-Quds
A recent report has drawn attention to the incidents of harassment and attacks targeting Christian visitors in the Old City of al-Quds, as international tourists gradually return to the Israeli-occupied territories following two years of genocidal war on Gaza that has left the territory starving and shattered.
According to the Hebrew-language Israel Hayom daily newspaper, ultra-Orthodox individuals have been reported to spit on Christian groups, occasionally even in the presence of local guides, in recent weeks.
A hotline has recorded incidents where tourists have experienced being spat on while walking through the Old City, including along the Via Dolorosa’s processional route.
The report points to several incidents, including a group of boys spitting on Christians along the Way of Sorrows and a tourist being kicked by a boy on a bicycle while yelling threats.
The report highlights how the education system and societal attitudes have contributed to fostering ignorance about Christianity. Coupled with a perception of Jewish superiority, this has played a role in fueling these attacks.
The report notes that Israeli authorities often fail to condemn or take measures to prevent such harassment, leaving tourists exposed and leading some to conceal their religious symbols.
Last month, an Israeli organization monitoring anti-Christian attacks reported that nearly half of the assaults in the Old City of al-Quds are directed at Armenian Christians.
The Religious Freedom Data Center (RFDC), in its quarterly report titled Incidents Against Christians in Israel, recorded 31 anti-Christian hate crimes across the occupied territories.
According to the report, which covers July to September 2025, 43% of all incidents in the Old City of al-Quds targeted Armenian Christians, with the Armenian Patriarchate once again emerging as the most frequently targeted site.
The incidents included spitting, verbal harassment, trespassing, vandalism, defacement, online provocation, and the desecration of sacred sites, predominantly focused in and around the Old City of al-Quds.
Among the 31 recorded attacks, 9 incidents (29%) were characterized by spitting, 8 (26%) involved verbal abuse, 7 (23%) were related to online incitement, 3 (10%) pertained to vandalism of signage, 3 (10%) reflected disrespect towards a holy site, 2 (7%) were instances of defacement, and there was at least one case of trespassing.
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