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Armenian priest assaulted by Yeshiva students

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  • Armenian priest assaulted by Yeshiva students

    Armenian priest assaulted by Yeshiva students

    Jerusalem Post
    Jan. 6, 2005 19:04

    By ETGAR LEFKOVITS


    An Armenian Priest was assaulted by four yeshiva students in the Old City of
    Jerusalem Thursday afternoon, in the second such attack in the last three
    months, police said.

    The altercation began when the priest, Father Avedis, was spat on by one of
    the yeshiva students in front of the Armenian Monastery where he lives in the
    Armenian Quarter of the Old City, the priest said.

    The Jewish assailant refused to go to police with the priest, and the two got
    into a scuffle.

    Meanwhile, a couple more yeshiva students came by, and got into a heated
    argument with the priest over who attacked whom, the priest recounted.

    A foreign ministry official, accompanied by an Israeli security guard, who
    was passing by came to the aid of the priest, and summoned police.

    The four haredi suspects subsequently scuffled with the Israeli security
    guard who tried to detain them before police arrived, police said.

    The four were subsequently placed under arrest, and will be remanded in a
    Jerusalem court on Friday morning.

    The priest was not hurt, and did not require medical treatment in the
    incident.

    The assault on the priest was immediately condemned by the New York-based
    Anti Defamation League, and, later, by the Mayor of Jerusalem.

    "This kind of behavior is outrageous, inappropriate and goes against all
    Jewish teachings, said the Co- Director of the ADL's Israel Office Laura Kam
    Issacharoff.

    She added that such attacks are not as incidental as they seem, and that
    Jerusalem yeshiva students must be taught respect and tolerance of others.

    Later Thursday evening, Jerusalem Mayor Uri
    Lupolianski also condemned the attack which he called a "despicable act"
    which is "likely to harm the delicate relations that exist in Jerusalem."

    In a statement, he added that the "Jewish people,
    which was subject to centuries of persecution abroad, should be the first to
    show tolerance and moderation to others."

    The attack on the Armenian priest was the second such incident in the Old
    City of Jerusalem in the last three months.

    In October, another yeshiva student spat at a Sunday morning procession of
    Armenian clergymen in
    Jerusalem's Old City and then scuffled with a priest.

    He later apologized.
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