Church authorities and protesters have called on Israeli authorities to put an end to repeated attacks on a church in Haifa, which some Israeli settlers claim is the burial site of a prophet.
Mar Elias Cathedral is a Melkite Roman Catholic church for local Palestinian Christians in Haifa. Also known as Saint Elias or Saint Elijah in the English language, the church has been the target of attacks by extremist Israeli settlers who believe it to be a holy Jewish site and the burial place of the Prophet Elisha.
Attacks against Christian holy sites in Israel, including cemeteries and members of the clergy, have surged in the past few years, prompting heads of churches to issue a call for international protection. Christians today are a small minority of the native Palestinian population, largely due to migration. However, they make up a sizeable minority in the city of Haifa, as do Muslims.
Produced by Reem Khabbazy
