This is not just a distortion. It is a revival of an old libel in modern form — a cynical inversion of reality, deliberately weaponised to undermine Israel’s moral standing and smear the Jewish people.
Fringe Acts, Widely Condemned
Let us be clear: there have been a handful of documented incidents involving ultra-Orthodox Jewish extremists in Jerusalem spitting at or near Christian clergy, particularly during processions in the Old City. These incidents are real — but they are not common, not systemic, and not representative of the broader Israeli population or normative Judaism. They are the actions of a fringe subset that does not speak for Israeli society, its legal framework, or its values.
Such acts have been unequivocally condemned across the political and religious spectrum in Israel. Senior rabbis, including those affiliated with the Chief Rabbinate, have publicly stated that such behavior is a desecration of God’s name (chilul Hashem) and a violation of Jewish ethics. The Jerusalem Municipality has increased policing and education efforts in response. In 2023, one offender was prosecuted and sentenced to prison — a clear message that harassment of Christians is not tolerated by Israeli law.
These responses stand in sharp contrast to the way religious minorities are treated elsewhere in the region, where such incidents (if they occurred) would rarely be investigated, let alone punished.
Amplifying the Margins to Smear the Whole
So why does this claim persist? Because it serves a broader ideological agenda.
In recent years, anti-Israel activists have shifted from attacking Israel’s policies to attacking its very legitimacy and moral character. The goal is not merely to criticise this or that government action — it is to paint the entire Jewish state as inherently racist, supremacist, and unworthy of existence. In that effort, the charge that Jews “spit on Christians” serves as emotional shorthand: a medieval-sounding act of contempt that evokes the darkest stereotypes about Jewish hostility toward others.
It is no accident that this libel is often circulated without mention of the tiny number of offenders, the swift legal action taken, or the millions of Christians who visit Israel each year without incident — many of whom report overwhelmingly positive experiences. Instead, a few images or anecdotes are lifted out of context and amplified globally to create the illusion of widespread hostility.
This is not journalism. It is blood libel by algorithm. And more, a smear that would not be tolerated if it were directed against any other group.
Israel: A Haven for Christians
The truth is this: Israel is the safest and freest place for Christians in the Middle East.
Unlike in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Iran, or even the Palestinian territories, where Christian populations have plummeted due to violence, discrimination, or Islamist intimidation, Israel’s Christian population is growing. Christians serve in the Knesset, sit on the Supreme Court, run hospitals and universities, and freely practice their faith. Churches are protected, holidays are respected, and the holy sites of Christianity are preserved and accessible to all.
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, has acknowledged that while challenges remain (particularly in complex neighbourhoods where religious and political tensions intersect) Israel remains committed to religious freedom, and most Israelis treat Christian clergy and pilgrims with “respect and friendship.”
Christian pilgrims continue to flock to Israel in their millions, retracing the steps of Jesus in a land that welcomes them. Israel invests significant resources into protecting Christian sites, especially in the Old City, and hosts interfaith initiatives designed to foster mutual understanding between Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
A Selective Outrage
It is telling that the same voices decrying a Jewish extremist’s spitting incident are silent about the persecution of Christians under Palestinian rule. In Bethlehem, once a Christian-majority city, the population has dwindled under pressure from Islamists and PA-linked militias. In Gaza, Hamas’s hardline rule has nearly extinguished the Christian community altogether.
Where is the outcry over the fact that Christians under the Palestinian Authority cannot publicly preach, build churches without difficulty, or speak openly about their beliefs without fear of retribution? Where are the viral videos, media exposés, or UN condemnations?
There is no symmetry in concern — only a politically convenient outrage when the target is Jewish.
A Modern Libel in Historical Costume
The notion that Jews disrespect or threaten Christians has a long and ugly history. From medieval Europe’s host desecration and blood libels, to Nazi propaganda portraying Jews as corrupters of Christian civilisation, this theme has always served the same function: to justify exclusion, persecution, or violence against Jews by presenting them as enemies of the dominant faith or culture.
Today, that libel has been updated for the digital age. It is circulated not by inquisitors or fascists, but by “progressive” activists and NGOs who couch their antisemitism in the language of human rights. But the structure is the same: one bad Jew becomes the symbol of a bad people.
We must not allow this to stand.
Upholding Truth and Integrity
Criticism of Israel is legitimate — when it is rooted in fact, proportion, and moral consistency. But when it descends into cherry-picked outrage, distortions, and the revival of ancient slanders, it becomes something far more sinister.
The Israel Institute of New Zealand stands firmly for truth, fairness, and the defense of democratic values. We reject the attempt to portray Israel as a place of religious intolerance, and we call on our media, civil society, and political leaders to confront these false narratives with integrity.
Israel is not perfect — but it is a beacon of religious freedom in a region where such freedom is rare. And it deserves to be judged by the standards of truth, not the shadow of historical prejudice.
Greg Bouwer writes for the Israel institute of New Zealand. This article was sourced HERE
Let us be clear: there have been a handful of documented incidents involving ultra-Orthodox Jewish extremists in Jerusalem spitting at or near Christian clergy, particularly during processions in the Old City. These incidents are real — but they are not common, not systemic, and not representative of the broader Israeli population or normative Judaism. They are the actions of a fringe subset that does not speak for Israeli society, its legal framework, or its values.
Such acts have been unequivocally condemned across the political and religious spectrum in Israel. Senior rabbis, including those affiliated with the Chief Rabbinate, have publicly stated that such behavior is a desecration of God’s name (chilul Hashem) and a violation of Jewish ethics. The Jerusalem Municipality has increased policing and education efforts in response. In 2023, one offender was prosecuted and sentenced to prison — a clear message that harassment of Christians is not tolerated by Israeli law.
These responses stand in sharp contrast to the way religious minorities are treated elsewhere in the region, where such incidents (if they occurred) would rarely be investigated, let alone punished.
Amplifying the Margins to Smear the Whole
So why does this claim persist? Because it serves a broader ideological agenda.
In recent years, anti-Israel activists have shifted from attacking Israel’s policies to attacking its very legitimacy and moral character. The goal is not merely to criticise this or that government action — it is to paint the entire Jewish state as inherently racist, supremacist, and unworthy of existence. In that effort, the charge that Jews “spit on Christians” serves as emotional shorthand: a medieval-sounding act of contempt that evokes the darkest stereotypes about Jewish hostility toward others.
It is no accident that this libel is often circulated without mention of the tiny number of offenders, the swift legal action taken, or the millions of Christians who visit Israel each year without incident — many of whom report overwhelmingly positive experiences. Instead, a few images or anecdotes are lifted out of context and amplified globally to create the illusion of widespread hostility.
This is not journalism. It is blood libel by algorithm. And more, a smear that would not be tolerated if it were directed against any other group.
Israel: A Haven for Christians
The truth is this: Israel is the safest and freest place for Christians in the Middle East.
Unlike in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Iran, or even the Palestinian territories, where Christian populations have plummeted due to violence, discrimination, or Islamist intimidation, Israel’s Christian population is growing. Christians serve in the Knesset, sit on the Supreme Court, run hospitals and universities, and freely practice their faith. Churches are protected, holidays are respected, and the holy sites of Christianity are preserved and accessible to all.
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, has acknowledged that while challenges remain (particularly in complex neighbourhoods where religious and political tensions intersect) Israel remains committed to religious freedom, and most Israelis treat Christian clergy and pilgrims with “respect and friendship.”
Christian pilgrims continue to flock to Israel in their millions, retracing the steps of Jesus in a land that welcomes them. Israel invests significant resources into protecting Christian sites, especially in the Old City, and hosts interfaith initiatives designed to foster mutual understanding between Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
A Selective Outrage
It is telling that the same voices decrying a Jewish extremist’s spitting incident are silent about the persecution of Christians under Palestinian rule. In Bethlehem, once a Christian-majority city, the population has dwindled under pressure from Islamists and PA-linked militias. In Gaza, Hamas’s hardline rule has nearly extinguished the Christian community altogether.
Where is the outcry over the fact that Christians under the Palestinian Authority cannot publicly preach, build churches without difficulty, or speak openly about their beliefs without fear of retribution? Where are the viral videos, media exposés, or UN condemnations?
There is no symmetry in concern — only a politically convenient outrage when the target is Jewish.
A Modern Libel in Historical Costume
The notion that Jews disrespect or threaten Christians has a long and ugly history. From medieval Europe’s host desecration and blood libels, to Nazi propaganda portraying Jews as corrupters of Christian civilisation, this theme has always served the same function: to justify exclusion, persecution, or violence against Jews by presenting them as enemies of the dominant faith or culture.
Today, that libel has been updated for the digital age. It is circulated not by inquisitors or fascists, but by “progressive” activists and NGOs who couch their antisemitism in the language of human rights. But the structure is the same: one bad Jew becomes the symbol of a bad people.
We must not allow this to stand.
Upholding Truth and Integrity
Criticism of Israel is legitimate — when it is rooted in fact, proportion, and moral consistency. But when it descends into cherry-picked outrage, distortions, and the revival of ancient slanders, it becomes something far more sinister.
The Israel Institute of New Zealand stands firmly for truth, fairness, and the defense of democratic values. We reject the attempt to portray Israel as a place of religious intolerance, and we call on our media, civil society, and political leaders to confront these false narratives with integrity.
Israel is not perfect — but it is a beacon of religious freedom in a region where such freedom is rare. And it deserves to be judged by the standards of truth, not the shadow of historical prejudice.
Greg Bouwer writes for the Israel institute of New Zealand. This article was sourced HERE
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