Church assaulted with stones and rotten eggs in Israel

One of the sad realities that many evangelicals in the West are unaware of is the persecution facing Christians in Israel.  The following comes from Compass Direct:

MIGDAL HA-EMEQ, Israel, June 22 (Compass Direct News) – When the congregation at St. Nicolay church in this northern Israeli town gathered on that quiet Friday morning of May 29, they never expected to be showered with stones. The Russian Orthodox worshipers, including many women, children and the elderly, had filled the small building to overflow with several outside when they were stunned by the rain of stones. Some were injured and received medical care. The church had also been attacked earlier that week, during a wedding ceremony. Stones and rotten eggs were thrown from the street, hitting guests as they arrived. The identity of the assailants is unknown – a police officer said the complaint “lacked the exact description of the attackers” – but eye-witnesses claimed they were ultra-orthodox yeshiva students who frequently cursed the church on their way to the school or synagogue. “They often assault us verbally, curse and yell at us, although we tried to explain that this is a place of worship, a holy place,” said a frustrated Oleg Usenkov, press secretary of the church, adding that police inaction amounts to nonfeasance. [Click here for the full story]

In the upcoming July edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter you can also read an article on the reality of what it often means to live as a Christian in Israel and the Palestinian territories entitled The forgotten church.  Click here to apply for your free subscription and we will send you out a copy of the July edition right away.