12/09/2020 Israel (International Christian Concern) – Police have arrested a 49-year-old man who poured a flammable liquid inside the Church of Gethsemane in Jerusalem. The suspect was an orthodox Jew and the fire was extinguished quickly. Blackened stalls were reported and the church was filled with smoke. Few other details about the incident were shared by police, but the incident has taken on some additional dimensions given the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Christians are often caught in the middle between the two entities. It is not unusual for the perpetrators of persecution incidents to belong either to Orthodox Judaism or Islam. Given the historical significance of the geography to Christianity and the current political-religious environment, it can be challenging for local Christians. This is particularly true as one approaches major Christian holidays such as Christmas.

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