Community members of Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter were attacked by what Armenian officials are calling a group of 30 Israeli extremist settlers. The assailants were dressed in black clothes and ski masks and armed with a variety of weapons.
At around 12:40 p.m. local time, the group approached the Armenian grounds known as “Cows’ Garden” with sticks, stones, and tear gas grenades in yet another attempt to violently remove the Armenian community from the area.
Responding to the attack, the shocked Armenian community members fought off the Jewish settlers until police arrived.
“This is the criminal response we have received for the submission of a lawsuit to the District Court of Jerusalem for the Cow’s Garden, which was officially received by the Court less than 24 hours ago. This is how the Australian-Israeli businessman Danny Rothman (Rubenstein) and George Warwar (Hadad) react to legal procedures,” the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem said in a statement.
According to the Armenian Patriarchate, bishops, priests, deacons, and Armenian Theological Academy students were among those seriously injured during the attack. A number of local Armenian community members were injured, as well, and two were taken into police custody.
It is unknown whether the initial aggressors have been cited or arrested by police.
“The Armenian Patriarchate’s existential threat is now a physical reality. Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Seminarians, and indigenous Armenians are fighting for their very lives on the ground. We are calling on authorities around the world and the International Media to help us save the Armenian Quarter from a violent demise that is being locally supported by unnamed entities,” the Patriarchate’s statement read.
“Israel is a State of law and order and such criminal behavior cannot be tolerated and go unpunished,” added the statement.