Woman Filmed Spitting at Armenian Monastery in Jerusalem Following Repeated Attacks on Christian Sites

A woman was filmed spitting at the entrance of Saint James Monastery in Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter, the latest in a series of incidents raising concerns about harassment of Armenian Christians and the protection of their religious sites.

Jerusalem-based journalist Kegham Balian shared footage of the incident, which shows the woman looking toward the monastery entrance before spitting in its direction. The circumstances surrounding the incident and whether authorities have opened an investigation remain unclear.

Saint James Monastery, home to the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, is one of the Armenian Apostolic Church’s most important religious sites. The monastery stands at the heart of a Christian community whose presence in Jerusalem dates back approximately 1,700 years.

The incident follows several similar cases reported in recent months.

On August 2, Israeli authorities arrested six Jewish Israelis accused of spitting at the monastery, banging on its gates and throwing stones at the compound. In September, another man was filmed attempting to urinate against a monastery wall.

On October 29, an Israeli man was recorded spitting at the monastery entrance and verbally abusing an Armenian security guard who confronted him.

The incidents are part of a broader pattern of reported harassment targeting Christians in Jerusalem, particularly in the Old City.

According to the Religious Freedom Data Center, 106 acts of harassment were documented across 96 incidents between July and September 2026. Of the 77 incidents recorded within Jerusalem’s Old City, 45 took place on Armenian Patriarchate Street, where much of the Armenian community's religious and cultural life is centered.

The figures have intensified concerns about the safety of Armenian clergy, residents and visitors, as well as the protection of historic Christian institutions.

Although Israeli police have made arrests in some cases, repeated incidents have raised questions about whether existing enforcement measures are sufficient to prevent further harassment.

For Jerusalem’s Armenian community, the issue extends beyond individual acts of religious hostility. The Armenian Quarter is one of the Old City’s four historic quarters, and its churches, monasteries and institutions have preserved a continuous Armenian Christian presence for centuries.

The latest incident adds to growing concerns over religious freedom and the long-term security of one of Jerusalem’s oldest Christian communities.

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