By Stephen Farrell

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem has accused radical Israeli groups of threatening the presence of Christians in the holy city, in remarks that Israeli officials rejected as baseless.

In a column in the Times of London on Saturday, His Beatitude, Theophilos III, said he believed the aim was to drive the Christian community from Jerusalem's Old City, which has sites sacred to Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Israel captured East Jerusalem, including the Old City, along with the West Bank and Gaza Strip in a 1967 war. It annexed East Jerusalem after the war in a move that has not won international recognition.

"Our presence in Jerusalem is under threat," the patriarch wrote in the article, published a day after the Greek Orthodox celebration of Christmas.

"Our churches are threatened by Israeli radical fringe groups. At the hands of these Zionist extremists the Christian community in Jerusalem is suffering greatly, he said.

"Our brothers and sisters are the victims of hate crimes. Our churches are regularly desecrated and vandalised. Our clergy are subject to frequent intimidation."

By singling out extremists as Israeli, Theophilos's criticism was more personal and trenchant than that of a collective statement issued by the heads of other churches in Jerusalem before Christmas.

Their statement spoke of "frequent and sustained attacks by fringe radical groups" but stopped short of identifying them as Israeli.

A U.S. State Department report published last year on religious freedom around the world said Christian clergy and pilgrims continued to report instances of ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem harassing or spitting on them.

Church groups have for some time reported attacks of vandalism at religious sites in the city. Theophilos did not accuse any radical groups by name or cite specific incidents. He did not provide evidence that they were Israeli, or that their goal was to drive Christians from the city.
On Sunday, an Israeli official said the reality on the ground for Christians was completely different from that described by the patriarch, citing a Foreign Ministry statement on Dec 22 that rebutted the earlier church leaders' claims.

"Since the day it was established, the State of Israel has been committed to freedom of religion and worship for all religions, as well to ensuring the freedom of access to holy sites," the ministry statement said.

"The statement by Church leaders in Jerusalem is particularly infuriating given their silence on the plight of many Christian communities in the Middle East suffering from discrimination and persecution."

In his column, Theophilos said the radicals that he criticised "are not representative of the state of Israel or the Jewish people," and called on Jerusalem to remain a diverse "mosaic community" of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/jerusalem-church-leader-says-israeli-165609247.html?.tsrc=fp_deeplink

I recall telli9ng a friend about how much orthodox Jews hate Christians and he didn't believe me. It is very insulting for an orthodox Jew to hear a \Christian say that Jesus Christ is God. Actually they usually spit on Christians wherever they encounter them. Nigerian Christians better wake up and cease your support for the state of Israel because those Jews despise you

Roger3D:
I recall telli9ng a friend about how much orthodox Jews hate Christians and he didn't believe me. It is very insulting for an orthodox Jew to hear a \Christian say that Jesus Christ is God. Actually they usually spit on Christians wherever they encounter them. Nigerian Christians better wake up and cease your support for the state of Israel because those Jews despise you

I thought nothing like Christian Jews

Which one we go believe now

So why other people support for Israel come dey pain you when it's not your support they are using

Truthisunique3:
I thought nothing like Christian Jews

Which one we go believe now

So why other people support for Israel come dey pain you when it's not your support they are using

Oga I myself am a Christian too but I don't support the state of Israel because I know Jews hate Christians. Just take a trip to the streets of Jerusalem and say you believe that Jesus Christ is God and see what those Orthodox |Jews will do to you Mr. Israeli supporter

Roger3D:
Oga I myself am a Christian too but I don't support the state of Israel because I know Jews hate Christians

shut up abdul

And cry more

Truthisunique3:
shut up abdul

And cry more

Continue with your Jewish arse licking

Roger3D:
I recall telli9ng a friend about how much orthodox Jews hate Christians and he didn't believe me. It is very insulting for an orthodox Jew to hear a \Christian say that Jesus Christ is God. Actually they usually spit on Christians wherever they encounter them. Nigerian Christians better wake up and cease your support for the state of Israel because those Jews despise you

But our brainwashed, dogmatic Christians in Nigeria are always at the forefront to defend, support and even wants to lay their lives for Israel while thinking that Israel is representing the church in fight with Palestine. However Israel kills and maims any Palestinian irrespective of being a Muslim or Christian.
Christians in Israel are more persecuted and alienated than even the Arab muslims of Israel origin!
That Shiite guy #elbinawi will not bring this to the fore as it coincides with Iranian mission to massacre Christians and Sunni muslims!

Zandena:


But our brainwashed, dogmatic Christians in Nigeria are always at the forefront to defend, support and even wants to lay their lives for Israel while thinking that Israel is representing the church in fight with Palestine. However Israel kills and maims any Palestinian irrespective of being a Muslim or Christian.
Christians in Israel are more persecuted and alienated than even the Arab muslims of Israel origin!
That Shiite guy #elbinawi will not bring this to the fore as it coincides with Iranian mission to massacre Christians and Sunni muslims!

Sadly many Nigerian Christians fall for the Jewish propaganda that Christians and Jews are one. The persecution of Christians in that country is appalling but they turn a blind eye to it

Roger3D:
Continue with your Jewish arse licking

una go cry taya as mosquitoes under seige

Lossers when Jews dey bleep from entering Al asqa

We go soon extend una ban to 70 and above if you make pemp

Roger3D:
I recall telli9ng a friend about how much orthodox Jews hate Christians and he didn't believe me. It is very insulting for an orthodox Jew to hear a \Christian say that Jesus Christ is God. Actually they usually spit on Christians wherever they encounter them. Nigerian Christians better wake up and cease your support for the state of Israel because those Jews despise you

It is not a new thing. It happened during the time of the apostles.

Your story is saying radical inconsequential Jews threatened a church you came masturbating

Is this anyway the same as the government and state of Israel that has and continue to ban Muslim and Islamic Terrorists in it's state.

Your foolishness is more like jubilating when white supremacists threaten a black person (it's not the government doing that)

Na only Muslim presence they get maximum seige because they are subjugated slaves

But Christian's never get security presence just like orthodox Jews during the two services

But op would tell you na Christian's Jews they threaten

The story clearly says "fringe" radical groups and not all mainstream Jews. Historically, there has been a certain degree of distrust between Jews and Christians because of the Jewish rejection of Christ as a Messiah.

There are Messianic Jews who accept Christ as a Messiah, but they make up less than 1% of the Jewish population.

Roger3D:
By Stephen Farrell

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem has accused radical Israeli groups of threatening the presence of Christians in the holy city, in remarks that Israeli officials rejected as baseless.

In a column in the Times of London on Saturday, His Beatitude, Theophilos III, said he believed the aim was to drive the Christian community from Jerusalem's Old City, which has sites sacred to Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Israel captured East Jerusalem, including the Old City, along with the West Bank and Gaza Strip in a 1967 war. It annexed East Jerusalem after the war in a move that has not won international recognition.

"Our presence in Jerusalem is under threat," the patriarch wrote in the article, published a day after the Greek Orthodox celebration of Christmas.

"Our churches are threatened by Israeli radical fringe groups. At the hands of these Zionist extremists the Christian community in Jerusalem is suffering greatly, he said.

"Our brothers and sisters are the victims of hate crimes. Our churches are regularly desecrated and vandalised. Our clergy are subject to frequent intimidation."

By singling out extremists as Israeli, Theophilos's criticism was more personal and trenchant than that of a collective statement issued by the heads of other churches in Jerusalem before Christmas.

Their statement spoke of "frequent and sustained attacks by fringe radical groups" but stopped short of identifying them as Israeli.

A U.S. State Department report published last year on religious freedom around the world said Christian clergy and pilgrims continued to report instances of ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem harassing or spitting on them.

Church groups have for some time reported attacks of vandalism at religious sites in the city. Theophilos did not accuse any radical groups by name or cite specific incidents. He did not provide evidence that they were Israeli, or that their goal was to drive Christians from the city.
On Sunday, an Israeli official said the reality on the ground for Christians was completely different from that described by the patriarch, citing a Foreign Ministry statement on Dec 22 that rebutted the earlier church leaders' claims.

"Since the day it was established, the State of Israel has been committed to freedom of religion and worship for all religions, as well to ensuring the freedom of access to holy sites," the ministry statement said.

"The statement by Church leaders in Jerusalem is particularly infuriating given their silence on the plight of many Christian communities in the Middle East suffering from discrimination and persecution."

In his column, Theophilos said the radicals that he criticised "are not representative of the state of Israel or the Jewish people," and called on Jerusalem to remain a diverse "mosaic community" of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/jerusalem-church-leader-says-israeli-165609247.html?.tsrc=fp_deeplink

Roger3D:
Sadly many Nigerian Christians fall for the Jewish propaganda that Christians and Jews are one. The persecution of Christians in that country is appalling but they turn a blind eye to it

have you rescued your Muslims brothers from China genocide despite the Islamic nations friendship with them?

Have you rescued your Palestine Muslim brothers from receiving constant bleep from same Jews you claim are muslims

Israel can never be hostile to Christians. Christianity is their greatest political tool they use to control almost a third of of the world.

BafanaBafana:
Israel can never be hostile to Christians. Christianity is their greatest political tool they use to control almost a third of of the world.

Now while it is not Israeli state policy to harm Christians but orthodox Jews hate Christians with a passion much more than they do Muslims

Roger3D:
Now while it is not Israeli state policy to harm Christians but orthodox Jews hate Christians with a passion much more than they do Muslims

pains

What orthodox Jews, you mean the audio ones that can't make pemp when Christian's are gathered

How come we never see confrontation like we see when Muslims are gathered

Na the same your Quran that guides you say Christian's and Jews are allies so why do you think it's you that can break the alliance

Quran 5:51

Believers! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for your allies. They are the allies of each other


Na the same your religion group we Christian's and Jews as one to be fought against, so your divide and rule is to make the fight easier abi

Quran 9:29

“Fight against Christians and Jews until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low.”

O

For Israel na Jews still control the mosques and it's activities

They shut it down when they like to celebrate Jewish holiday that undermine islam

BafanaBafana:
Israel can never be hostile to Christians. Christianity is their greatest political tool they use to control almost a third of of the world.

not even political tool per say

Jews need christians more than it need them because it is the biggest religion in the world which is why op is trying overtime as a Muslim to eliminate that support

Christianity has no idealogy inimical to Jews unlike Islam that has the Jews must be eliminated togga all over their books so Jews are very much free with christians as exemplified in it's places of worship

Roger3D:
Now while it is not Israeli state policy to harm Christians but orthodox Jews hate Christians with a passion much more than they do Muslims

that is how it has always been from the days of old because of their rejection of christ as the only son of God.

Advocate500:
that is how it has always been from the days of old because of their rejection of christ as the only son of God.

don't fall for Taqiya

A Jew doesn't has no problem with christianity even though it may disagree on its core believe just like it does with Islam too

But a Jew won't hate you to the point of killing you unless you are an Islamic Terrorist threat to their lives

Of course their are always a few fanatics even in the west which we find in Islam from muric, hibah etc but never do they speak for their state

Roger3D:
I recall telli9ng a friend about how much orthodox Jews hate Christians and he didn't believe me. It is very insulting for an orthodox Jew to hear a \Christian say that Jesus Christ is God. Actually they usually spit on Christians wherever they encounter them. Nigerian Christians better wake up and cease your support for the state of Israel because those Jews despise you

we will rather support the Jews that support the religion formed by one dementia, paedophile called Mohammadu.

Danjikanbauchi:
we will rather support the Jews that support the religion formed by one dementia, paedophile called Mohammadu.

this one go pain abdul

Divide and rule people just like the peadophile prophet

Truthisunique3:
don't fall for Taqiya

A Jew doesn't has no problem with christianity even though it may disagree on its core believe just like it does with Islam too

But a Jew won't hate you to the point of killing you unless you are an Islamic Terrorist threat to their lives

Of course their are always a few fanatics even in the west which we find in Islam from muric, hibah etc but never do they speak for their state

From the way you type I can tell that you're an IPOB miscreant and I don't really care about your Islamophobia because I've never practiced Islam for a single minute of my life

Roger3D:
From the way you type I can tell that you're an IPOB miscreant and I don't really care about your Islamophobia because I've never practiced Islam for a single minute of my life

o, ipob don enter this matter

Your pains must be premium, I can already tell you are a failed Yoruba fake Muslim that can't sight moon

Btw am not igbo, so address your "jewsphobia"

P

O