Palestine appeals for US action following settler attack on Jerusalem church

RAMALLAH, Palestine

Palestine on Sunday appealed for US and international action to halt Israeli settler attacks against holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem.

Two Israeli settlers on Sunday broke into the Church of Gethsemane in Jerusalem and attempted to sabotage the content inside, but were confronted by a Palestinian man who was present at the church, according to the Governorate of Jerusalem.

In a statement, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the settler attack on the church.

“The repetition of these assaults is part of the official Israeli targeting of Jerusalem and its Christian and Islamic holy sites,” the statement said.

“These assaults are part of Israel’s Judaization of Jerusalem and attempts to impose Israeli sovereignty [on Jerusalem] and detach the city from its Palestinian surrounding," it added.

The ministry called on the United Nations to activate international protection for the Palestinians amid continuing Israeli attacks.

Israeli police, meanwhile, said a settler had been arrested for breaking into the church and threatening visitors with a sharp object.

Tensions have been running high across the occupied West Bank in recent months amid repeated Israeli raids into Palestinian towns.

Nearly 90 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the start of this year, according to Palestinian figures. Fourteen Israelis have also been killed in separate attacks during the same period.