Man Arrested Following Assault on French Nun in East Jerusalem
A man has been apprehended after a French nun was pushed to the ground and kicked in what appears to be an unprovoked attack in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem earlier this week.
Video footage of the event shows the woman, dressed in a grey habit, being shoved from behind, causing her to strike her head on a stone block. The assailant, identifiable by his Jewish kippah and tzitzit—ritual tassels—initially walks away but then returns to kick her while she is on the ground.
This incident occurs amid a recent increase in harassment directed at Christian clergy and pilgrims by Jewish extremists in Jerusalem's Old City.
The 36-year-old suspect was taken into custody on suspicion of racially motivated assault; however, no formal charges have been filed to date.
Reactions from Religious and Official Authorities
Father Olivier Poquillon, director of the French Biblical and Archaeological School where the nun conducts research, posted on X that she was the
"victim of an unprovoked assault"on Tuesday late afternoon.
"We strongly condemn this act of sectarian violence and expect the authorities to act swiftly and decisively,"he added.
Israeli police arrested the suspect on Wednesday and released a video showing him being handcuffed by officers.
In an English statement on social media, the police declared they treat
"any attack on members of the clergy and religious communities with the utmost seriousness and applies a policy of zero tolerance to all acts of violence".
A photograph of the nun was published displaying bruising on her face.
The French Consulate in Jerusalem issued a strong condemnation of
"the aggression".
Subsequently, Israel's Foreign Ministry posted on X:
"This shameful act stands in direct contradiction to the values of respect, coexistence, and religious freedom upon which Israel is founded and to which it remains deeply committed."
"Israel remains firmly committed to safeguarding freedom of religion and freedom of worship for all faiths, and to ensuring that Jerusalem remains a city where every community can live, pray, and practice its faith in safety and dignity,"the ministry added.
Context of Rising Tensions in Jerusalem's Old City
Although the violent nature of the attack on the nun is unusual, there have been frequent incidents in recent years in Jerusalem's Old City involving religious Jews spitting at and acting aggressively toward individuals wearing Christian religious attire or symbols.
Church properties have been vandalized, and there have been contentious disputes arising from settler takeovers. Church leaders accuse Israeli authorities of attempting to alter the status quo—long-standing agreements concerning ownership and responsibilities—at their holy sites.
A 2025 report by the Rossing Center, a Jerusalem-based organization dedicated to fostering improved interfaith relations in the Holy Land, describes a
"recent surge in overt animosity towards Christianity,"attributing this to
"a continued deepening of polarisation and ultra-nationalist political trends."
In March, international condemnation followed Israeli police preventing the top Roman Catholic leader in Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate a private Mass on Palm Sunday. The Latin Patriarchate stated it was
"the first time in centuries"such an event had occurred.
The police explained their actions were due to safety concerns amid the Iran war, although restrictions at the time permitted small gatherings.
Last month, an image circulated online showing an Israeli soldier striking a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer in a Christian Maronite village in southern Lebanon, prompting further outrage. Israeli officials issued an apology, and the two soldiers involved were sentenced to 30 days in military detention and removed from combat duty.
Details of the Assault Location
The assault on the nun occurred as she was walking past the Cenacle, located on Mount Zion near the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. This site holds significance for Christians, who revere it as the location of Jesus's Last Supper, and for Jews, who regard it as the tomb of the biblical King David.
