Israel fears rightists might carry out massive hate crime during papal visit

Bishops' statement expresses concern over 'lack of security' for Christian

property and what they call the 'lack of responsiveness from the political
sector.'
By Yaniv Kubovich and Reuters | May 8, 2014 | 3:00 PM | 1

Pope Francis and President Shimon Peres exchange greetings during a private
meeting at the Vatican, April 30, 2013. Photo by Reuters



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The Israel Police and the Shin Bet fear that right-wing extremists might exploit
Pope Francis' visit to the Holy Land on May 24-26 to carry out a major hate
crime to drum up media attention.
The security services estimate that the hate crime would target the Christian
population in Israel or Christian sites across the country.
The various police districts were instructed by authorities to focus their
operational and intelligence efforts on the Christian population and its
institutions, and to consolidate extra security in these communities until the end
of the visit.
The police was also asked to increase its security assessments of the right-wing
extremists in their various districts, with particular emphasis on holy sites.
The Roman Catholic Church in Jerusalem, preparing for the visit, has expressed
alarm over threats to Christians scrawled by suspected Jewish extremists on
church property in the Holy Land.
In an incident Monday, "Death to Arabs and Christians and all those who hate
Israel" was daubed in Hebrew on an outer column of the Office of the Assembly
of Bishops at the Notre Dame Center in East Jerusalem.
"The wave of fanaticism and intimation against Christians continues," the Latin
Patriarchate of Jerusalem posted on its website, referring to so-called "price
tag" incidents.
"Mere coincidence?" the patriarchate statement asked. "The Notre Dame
Center is property of the Holy See and this provocation comes two weeks before
Pope Francis' visit to the Holy Land and Jerusalem."
The bishops' statement added that "it was very concerned about the lack of
security" for Christian property and what they called the "lack of
responsiveness from the political sector" after earlier attacks. They feared "an
escalation of violence."
In recent years, hate attacks have targeted mosques, Palestinian homes and
Christian monasteries in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas
Israel captured in a 1967 war and Palestinians seek as part of a future state.
"Price tagging" - a reference by far-right Jews to making the government "pay"
for any curbs on Israeli settlements in the West Bank - has also occurred in
Israeli military installations in the West Bank and Arab villages in Israel.
The Patriarchate said the heads of churches in the Holy Land are preparing "a
series of actions aimed at informing local and international public opinion, and to
make the authorities and law officials aware of their responsibilities."
Pope Francis is due to visit Israel, Jordan, the West Bank and Jerusalem, where
he will meet Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual leader of the world's
Orthodox Christians.
The pontiff, who like his predecessors John Paul and Benedict has friendly ties
with Jewish religious leaders, is due to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
at the Notre Dame Center, located just outside the walls of the old city.
Israel boosts investigation into hate crimes
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon has described these hate crimes as terrorism
and pledged to step up efforts to curb them. Public Security Minister Yitzhak
Aharonovitch and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni said Wednesday they would ask
the cabinet to classify groups behind "price tag" attacks as terrorist
organisations, opening the way for the possible use of detention without trial
against members.
The Israel Police has also decided, meanwhile, that the investigation of the more
serious hate crimes, such as the arson attack on a mosque in the town of
Fureidis and similar incidents in the West Bank, should stay under the
responsibility of the unit currently in charge of looking into crimes with
nationalist motives, based in the Judea and Samaria district.
Both the police and the Shin Bet have identified a direct link between a number
of the incidents both within and outside of the Green Line.

The perpetrators of the crimes in the Galilee village of Jish, and in the towns of
Fureidis and Umm al-Fahm, are known rightists from the West Bank, apparently
moving their operations from the West Bank inside the Green Line.
The Judea and Samaria unit, which is most familiar with the suspects, will handle
the larger investigations carried out by known extremists - even those that
take place in other districts.
Crimes perpetrated by unorganized groups or individuals, such as the recent
attacks in Yokne'am, will still be dealt with by local district polices.
The frequency of "price tag" attacks - 14 have been reported this year - has
risen sharply over the past month since the Israeli military demolished
structures in a West Bank settlement built without government authorisation.
Despite dozens of arrests over the past year of suspected "price-taggers,"
there have been few convictions. Police say there are only a few score culprits,
many known by name, but about half of them are minors to whom courts show
leniency.