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Christian Tourist in Israel Attacked by Muslims

  • Veronica Neffinger

    Veronica Neffinger wrote her first poem at age seven and went on to study English in college, focusing on 18th century literature. When she is not listening to baseball games, enjoying the…

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  • Updated Aug 06, 2015

A French Christian tourist visiting the Temple Mount in Israel was recently assaulted by Muslims for waving an Israeli flag.

The man, along with his four attackers, was detained by police for questioning.

The Christian Post reports that, due to the ongoing tensions between Jews, Christians, and Muslims near the Temple Mount, Muslims are prohibited from praying there, while Jews and Christians are also not allowed to express their faith, which includes praying and reading the Bible. 

Displaying national symbols is similarly prohibited, on grounds that such a display could exacerbate already strained relationships.

The actions of the Christian tourist waving an Israeli flag were seen as a direct affront to these rules. The tourist is facing potential charges of disrupting public order, according to The Times of Israel.

This incident follows a number of similar conflicts in the past years, including an incident in which Muslims threw stones at Christian tourists, as well as an incident in which Jewish protesters blocked a group of Greek Orthodox Christians from entering a site in Old Jerusalem that both groups hold as sacred.

Publication date: August 6, 2015