Vandals have kidnapped a cross near a church in northern Israel, built on the site where, according to Christian legend, Jesus Christ performed a miracle, “feeding 5,000 hungry and two fish” 5,000 hungry, the church said.
Thieves on Thursday broke an iron cross from a basalt altar near the Kinneret or Church of the Sea of Galilee Reproduction Church, said Geotz Rüvekamp, who represents the German Holy Land Association, which owns the land on which the church is located.
Revekampus called it an act against Christians.
Israeli police have announced that an investigation has been launched.
In 2015, vandals who left graffiti written in Hebrew at the scene of the crime burned the church.
Three Jewish extremists, one of whom was also convicted, were charged with the offense, which was described as a “hate crime” against the Christian minority.
There are about 200,000 Christians in Israel, which is about 2% of the total population.
They belong mainly to the ethnic Arab community of Israel, and most of them have settled in the north of the country.
– .
