EU missions slam settler attacks on mosque, church
The diplomatic missions specifically cited recent attacks on a Bethlehem mosque and a Greek Orthodox seminary in West Jerusalem.
JERUSALEM
The European Union's diplomatic missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah on Friday denounced recent attacks by extremist Jewish settlers on Muslim and Christian religious sites in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The diplomatic missions specifically cited recent attacks on a Bethlehem mosque and a Greek Orthodox seminary in West Jerusalem.
In a joint statement, they said that such religiously-motivated "hate crimes" would contribute to fueling instability in the region.
Officials at the two missions called for launching investigations into the two recent attacks.
Turkey also condemned attack on church in West Jerusalem
"Israel should take necessary caution to prevent any uprising in the region,” Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that Turkey “expects the perpetrators to be caught and put on trial as soon as possible."
The ministry also said that the attacks showed the provocative side of violence against Islam and Christianity.
Extremist Israeli Jews, the ministry said, were continuing to attack Muslim and Christian places of worship, while the Israeli government did nothing to stop them.
The ministry went on to blame the Israeli government for the trend, calling on the Vatican, the international community and the UN to help protect local religious sites.
On Wednesday, Israeli settlers torched a Bethlehem mosque and sprayed anti-Muslim graffiti on the walls of the building.
And on Thursday, settlers torched part of a Greek Orthodox seminary in West Jerusalem, on which they sprayed anti-Christian graffiti.
Numerous attacks by extremist Jewish settlers on Muslim and Christian places of worship have been reported recently, both in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and inside the self-proclaimed Jewish state itself.
