Holy Land Christians worry that Jewish assaults in far-right Israel are on the rise.

​Christian leaders in the occupied Palestinian territories of Jerusalem and the West Bank are warning that the far-right Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has brought a surge of violence against Christians and made life worse in the birthplace of Christianity. The Vatican-appointed Latin Patriarch, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, has warned that the region’s 2,000-year-old Christian community has come under increasing attack, with the most right-wing government in Israel’s history emboldening extremists who have harassed clergy and vandalized religious property at a quickening pace. The Greek Orthodox Church has accused Israeli police of infringing on the freedom of worshippers with “heavy-handed” restrictions on how many pilgrims can attend the “Holy Fire” ceremony at the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a holy site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Church leaders blame Israeli extremists for most of the incidents, and fear an even greater surge. The Israeli National Parks Authority promised buy-in from churches and said it hopes the park will “preserve valuable areas as open areas Christian leaders in the occupied Palestinian territories of Jerusalem and the West Bank are warning that the far-right Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has brought a surge of violence against Christians and made life worse in the birthplace of Christianity. The Vatican-appointed Latin Patriarch, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, has warned that the region’s 2,000-year-old Christian community has come under increasing attack, with the most right-wing government in Israel’s history emboldening extremists who have harassed clergy and vandalized religious property at a quickening pace. The Greek Orthodox Church has accused Israeli police of infringing on the freedom of worshippers with “heavy-handed” restrictions on how many pilgrims can attend the “Holy Fire” ceremony at the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a holy site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Church leaders blame Israeli extremists for most of the incidents, and fear an even greater surge. The Israeli National Parks Authority promised buy-in from churches and said it hopes the park will “preserve valuable areas as open areas Christian leaders in the occupied Palestinian territories of Jerusalem and the West Bank are warning that the far-right Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has brought a surge of violence against Christians and made life worse in the birthplace of Christianity. The Vatican-appointed Latin Patriarch, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, has warned that the region’s 2,000-year-old Christian community has come under increasing attack, with the most right-wing government in Israel’s history emboldening extremists who have harassed clergy and vandalized religious property at a quickening pace. The Greek Orthodox Church has accused Israeli police of infringing on the freedom of worshippers with “heavy-handed” restrictions on how many pilgrims can attend the “Holy Fire” ceremony at the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a holy site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Church leaders blame Israeli extremists for most of the incidents, and fear an even greater surge. The Israeli National Parks Authority promised buy-in from churches and said it hopes the park will “preserve valuable areas as open areas Christian leaders in the occupied Palestinian territories of Jerusalem and the West Bank are warning that the far-right Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has brought a surge of violence against Christians and made life worse in the birthplace of Christianity. The Vatican-appointed Latin Patriarch, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, has warned that the region’s 2,000-year-old Christian community has come under increasing attack, with the most right-wing government in Israel’s history emboldening extremists who have harassed clergy and vandalized religious property at a quickening pace. The Greek Orthodox Church has accused Israeli police of infringing on the freedom of worshippers with “heavy-handed” restrictions on how many pilgrims can attend the “Holy Fire” ceremony at the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a holy site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Church leaders blame Israeli extremists for most of the incidents, and fear an even greater surge. The Israeli National Parks Authority promised buy-in from churches and said it hopes the park will “preserve valuable areas as open areas​