(Communicated by the President's Spokesperson)
President Reuven Rivlin spoke by phone today (Thursday 26 February 2015), with Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, and expressed his sadness and shock at the arson and graffiti attack on a building within the Greek Orthodox compound on Mount Zion.
The President said, "It is inconceivable that an act like this could happen in a house of prayer, this is a heinous crime, there must be an investigation and those responsible must be brought to justice. Such criminals not only threaten to set fire to places of worship holy to all of us, but ignite the regional powder keg upon which we all sit."
The President added, "The protection and conservation of the holy sites, both those holy for us and those holy for others, is our obligation as a state and as a society, and we cannot allow such attacks to sabotage the common fabric of our lives here. We all have a responsibility to put an end to these terrible acts."
The Patriarch thanked the President for his words, and expressed great appreciation for his concern. He said, "Our mission is to act to bring an end to such acts, in all areas of the Land of Israel