Suspect Arrested After Assault on French Nun in Jerusalem Sparks Outcry Over Rising Attacks on Christians

Israeli police arrest suspect in assault on French nun in Jerusalem, amid growing concern over rising attacks on Christians and religious sites.

Newsroom (01/05/2026 Gaudium Press) Israeli police have arrested a man suspected of assaulting a French nun in Jerusalem, an incident that has drawn international condemnation and renewed concern over rising attacks targeting Christian communities in the region.

In a statement posted to X on April 29, police said an investigation was launched following the reported assault, leading to the suspect’s arrest. Authorities indicated that the suspect’s detention is expected to be extended as the inquiry continues.

“The Israel Police treats 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,” the statement read. Emphasizing Jerusalem’s significance to Jews, Christians, and Muslims, police added that they remain committed to protecting all communities and holding perpetrators accountable.

The attack occurred on April 28 near the Cenacle, the traditional site of the Last Supper, according to Dominican Father Olivier Poquillon, director of the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem, where the nun works as a researcher.

Speaking to Agence France-Presse, Father Poquillon described the assault in stark terms. In the late afternoon, the nun “felt someone come up behind her and throw her with full force onto a rock,” he said. While she lay on the ground, the attacker allegedly kicked her repeatedly.

Police released both a video of the arrest and an image showing bruising on the right side of the nun’s head.

Father Poquillon condemned the incident as an “unprovoked assault” and an “act of sectarian violence,” urging authorities to act “swiftly and firmly.” The French Consulate General in Jerusalem also denounced the attack, expressing hope for the nun’s recovery and calling for the perpetrator to be brought to justice.

Academic institutions echoed these concerns. The Hebrew University’s Faculty of Comparative Religion described the assault as a “heinous and utterly dangerous hate crime,” linking it to what it called a “deeply disturbing rise in Christianophobia” in Jerusalem’s Old City and elsewhere in Israel. The faculty called on authorities to take concrete measures through legislation, education, and enforcement to address the trend.

Following the arrest, Israel’s Foreign Ministry reiterated the country’s stance against violence. “We strongly condemn this despicable attack,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that such acts contradict the nation’s foundational values of respect, coexistence, and religious freedom. The ministry also expressed solidarity with the victim and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all faith communities can live and worship safely in Jerusalem.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has not yet issued a statement, and a request for comment remains unanswered.

The assault comes less than two weeks after a separate incident in southern Lebanon, where an Israeli soldier was photographed striking a statue of Jesus in the Christian village of Debel. In that case, two soldiers were removed from combat duty and placed in military detention for 30 days.

Religious freedom organizations say such incidents are part of a broader pattern. According to the Religious Freedom Data Center, a Jerusalem-based group, 181 incidents targeting Christians, their symbols, and institutions were recorded in Israel in 2025. An additional 44 incidents were documented between January and March 2026.

The latest attack has intensified calls for stronger protections and accountability, as concerns grow over the safety of religious minorities in a city revered by multiple faiths.

• Raju Hasmukh with files from OSV News

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