Report documents rising anti-Christian harassment in Jerusalem

A new report from The Religious Freedom Data Center (RFDC) indicates a significant increase in anti-Christian harassment within Jerusalem during the third quarter of 2026. The organization recorded 106 acts of harassment across 96 incidents, marking a steady rise from 83 acts in the second quarter and 44 in the first. The RFDC suggests that the actual number of incidents is likely higher, as many go unreported.

Spitting remains the most prevalent form of abuse, accounting for 73 percent of the recorded acts. Other reported incidents include verbal abuse, vandalism, physical assault, and threats. The majority of these events occurred in Jerusalem’s Old City, with 45 percent concentrated on Armenian Patriarchate Street. Researchers noted that clergy and monastics are frequent targets, and in some instances, perpetrators claimed their actions were justified by religious injunctions.

The RFDC attributes the frequency of these incidents partly to the presence of large crowds during Jewish holiday periods. The organization emphasizes that without increased documentation and intervention, such behavior risks becoming normalized within the local environment.