Israeli Jewish extremists attempted to storm Haifa church

RELIGIOUS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – Jewish extremists in Israel tried to storm a church located in Haifa on Sunday.

As New Arab reported the church has been repeatedly targeted in the past two months.

A bus full of radicals attempted to enter Mar Elias church with hundreds of local Palestinians rushing to defend it.

On Saturday, a bus loaded with 20 settlers attempted to enter but the church was closed.

The settlers claim that a tomb belonging to a Jewish figure is present in the courtyard.

Wadie Abu Nassar, an adviser to various churches in the Holy Land, said there have been nine “provocative raids” of Mar Elias,

The targeting of Mar Elias over the past two months is linked with the election of Israel’s far-right government late last year, said Alif Sabit, who is from Haifa.

“The group that attacks the church derive their strength from the extreme right,” he added.

Palestinian Christian and Muslim citizens of Israel make up a sizable minority of the population in Haifa.