Video footage circulating online shows Israeli settlers spitting towards the Shrine of the Virgin Mary, located opposite the Church of the Shepherds of the Saviour in the Bab al-Jadid area of occupied East Jerusalem.
The incident took place during the annual Flag March, a nationalist procession that has repeatedly drawn tensions across the occupied city.
The footage triggered a wave of reaction on social media. “Spitting on sacred spaces betrays basic human decency and fuels deeper hatred,” one user wrote.
Others directed their anger at those who politically back Israel. “Show this to the Christian Right Fascist Frauds who also call themselves Christian Zionists,” another remarked.
Some questioned whether accountability was even possible. “Isn’t there anyone in the opposition to this government of murderers who will put an end to this?” one comment read. Others pushed back on how the perpetrators were being framed.
“These aren’t extremists, these are just Zionists,” a user noted. Several pointed to what they called a pattern of behaviour. “They spit at Christians daily. It’s a part of life,” one user wrote, adding, “Gotta think about why a proclaimed Christian country supports them”.
Others drew broader conclusions. “Looking at the present, I understand the past and history better,” one comment read. “Can anyone defend this?” another user asked. “This is a new one to them, spitting on Christians is like spitting on America,” someone else observed.
The incident comes weeks after a separate controversy involving an Israeli soldier filmed smashing a statue of Jesus in a village in southern Lebanon. The image spread rapidly online and drew condemnation from users who accused Israel of targeting Christian religious sites.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed the image was authentic and said the Northern Command had opened an investigation. “The IDF views the incident with great severity and emphasises that the soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops,” the military said in a statement, adding that action would be taken in line with the findings.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the act “grave and disgraceful” in a post on X.
“This shameful action is completely contrary to our values,” he wrote, offering an apology to Christians hurt by it. He added that he was confident that the IDF would take strict measures against the soldier involved.
