Catholic bishop condemns arson attack on Israel church by 'Jewish zealots'

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/23/catholic-bishop-arson-attack-israel-church-multiplication

A Catholic bishop in Britain has issued an unusually strong condemnation of last week’s arson attack on the biblically symbolic Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fish in Israel, referring to “Jewish zealots” and demanding the Israeli authorities act against religious bigotry.

Declan Lang, bishop of Clifton, said he had learned of the attack on the church in Tabgha with “great sadness and deep regret”, adding that “the common consensus seems to be that Jewish zealots were responsible”. He demanded the arrest of the perpetrators, adding that Israel must ensure that “such attacks that take religious bigotry to a new level ... do not continue unchecked”.

Lang’s comments follow a report from the official Vatican news service describing the attack on the church as “yet another episode in the long series of desecrations and acts of intimidation committed by groups of extremist Jewish settlers to the detriment of monasteries, churches and Christian cemeteries since February 2012”. The report also referred to attacks on mosques by “militant extremist groups close to the settler movement”.

A fire was started in the church in the early hours of Thursday morning, causing extensive damage to the roof, a souvenir shop, offices and meeting rooms, and destroying Bibles and prayer books. The bill for repairs is expected to run to millions of dollars. Graffiti in Hebrew was sprayed on the walls of the church, reading: “False idols will be cast out.”

[Israeli]

1. Three arrested on suspicion of torching Church of Loaves and Fishes.....

More arrests are expected in connection with the fire that caused serious damage to the historic Church of the Multiplication in the Galilee.

By Noa Shpigel

Three suspects were arrested early on Sunday in connection with a fire that caused serious damage to the historic Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes at Tabgha, on the Sea of Galilee last month.

The Shin Bet security service is to question the suspects and their remand is expected to be extended at the Nazareth Magistrate’s Court on Sunday afternoon. More arrests are expected as part of the joint investigation involving the Shin Bet and the police's nationalist crime unit.

Two people were lightly hurt from smoke inhalation due to the June 17 fire, which caused serious damage to the church structure, roof, reception room, storeroom, the nuns’ office and the gift shop. Hundreds of books were burned.

Graffiti, in Hebrew, was found on site, reading “False idols will be smashed.”

The church is believed to be the site where Jesus fed throngs with miraculously multiplying loaves and fish, and is home to renowned, eye-catching mosaics.

Sixteen yeshiva students, reportedly West Bank settlers, were detained at the time in connection with the blaze but were released shortly after.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the head of the Shin Bet, Yoram Cohen, to conduct an accelerated investigation into the incident.

The Catholic Church in Israel told Haaretz at that it saw this attack as a continuation of the aggression against holy Christian sites over the last few years, which it said the Israeli government and authorities have failed to deal with accordingly. A report on the matter has been given to the Vatican, the sources said.

Source: http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel/.premium-1.665548

For more details see :

http://www.richardsilverstein.com/2015/07/13/breaking-three-jewish-terrorist-suspects-in-israeli-church-burning-identified/

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

2. TY for the update.

I see no mention of them being labeled as terrorists, though.